Saker Falcon

Saker (Falco cherrug )

• Falco cherrug cherrug
• Falco cherrug milvipes

The Saker Falcon, Saker or Saker (Falco cherrug ) is a large hawk of the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Its westernmost deposits are located in Austria and in Hungary, where its plumage is more gray than beige. Occasionally breeds the kind in Germany. The Saker is one of the largest and heaviest species within the subfamily of authentics hawks. Together with the gyrfalcon is one of the Saker Falcon to the popular hunting falcons in the Middle East. Since the stock is not very large and high prices are paid for the Saker Falcon, this has a potentially jeopardize their existence.

Appearance

The Saker is about 46 to 58 inches tall, compact, strongly built and has a wingspan of about 104-129 centimeters. The wings are long, broad and pointed, spotted upper side dark brown, light and banded. The tail top is light brown. A characteristic feature is the cream- colored, light head which settles from the dark top. The underside is cream- colored, mottled less dark brown in the female and the male more and banded. The females are considerably larger and heavier than the males. In Central Europe the species is feldornithologisch determined with reasonable accuracy, in areas where even the Lanner Falcon ( Falco biarmicus feldeggi ) occurs, for example, on the southeastern Balkans, however, there is considerable likelihood of confusion.

The migration strategies of Würgfalken are very different in its entire area of ​​distribution. The European populations remain in favorable food conditions in the breeding area, otherwise they spread to the eastern Mediterranean region and continue south to East Africa.

Voice

A slightly rough Lahnen and Gäckern - except at their breeding ground - relatively rarely heard.

Dissemination

• Annual bird
• Breeding bird
• Outside the breeding season / wintering areas

The distribution area of Sakerfalkens are the forest-steppe and steppe zones of the south-east of Central Europe to north- western China. The southern limit of distribution runs through Turkey and Iran to the Himalayas. The northern limit of distribution is about the 56th northern latitude.

In Russia and Ukraine, the species is a long-distance migrant. On the western edge of his enclosure, the saker falcon holds also in the winter months in the vicinity of its breeding places.

Inventory and inventory development

The Saker Falcon is one of the world's most endangered birds of prey. Especially now seem to collapse, while the European populations recover easily and even a slight area expansion is also noticeable the intra-Asian stocks. But there will be hardly available in Europe for more than 700 breeding pairs of Würgfalken - that means compared to the 19th century, a decline of over 90%. Worldwide, the existence of the Saker Falcon by IUCN on the data from 2003 is estimated at 3600-4400 breeding pairs. The species is classified as " critically endangered ".

Good and partially expanding reserves are about 120 pairs and Ukraine recorded especially in Hungary with around 100 pairs. The positive development of the stocks in Hungary are mainly due to intensive protection measures. To grow more than 30 percent of the young birds zoom in art nests and the nests are monitored. In addition, the species appears after the widespread disappearance of Ziesels in Central Europe successfully converted to the domestic pigeon as a substitute food to be had.

In the German part of the Elbe sandstone brooded in the years 1997 and 1998 a Würgfalkenpaar, but it did not cause permanent breeding successes.

Food

Its diet consists mainly during the breeding phase of small mammals such as ground squirrels and during migration and wintering area for birds to ducks size.

Brood

Saker falcons build like all no nests. To use oviposition Saker depending on habitat large branch nests of other birds on trees or in rock walls and rock niches, also ground broods before coming. The type will also be happy to Art nests. Nests are increasingly been used recently on pylons breeding. At the hatchery the Saker Falcon is very ruffreudig. The clutch consists of two to six eggs, which are incubated by the female mostly around 30 days. In about the first 18 days, the young are fed exclusively from the female, the male carries the prey approach. The nestling period lasts about 50 days 30 to 45 days after fledging the young birds become independent.

Name and Namensherleitung

The original name for this falcon is Saker. Under this designation it is already in the book Falk Frederick II called ( De arte venandi cum avibus ). Only in the late 18th century came in the name Saker. He came into use about the then current scientific name of Falco lanarius. Lanarius derives from the Latin verb laniare from, which means as much as tear, rip choke. ( Compare the genus Lanius shrikes = ). This name continued in avifaunistic literature of the 19th and 20th centuries, largely by, and is sometimes still used today. Besides the fact that he particularly subordinated to the type aggressive behavior, it is also incorrect in Saker, like all the other Hawks also bite slayer and no handle killers are. The species name cherrug is a transcription of the Persian - or. Hindi name of this type

System

The systematic classification of the Saker Falcon is still controversial. According to recent genetic studies of the Saker Falcon forms together with the Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus ), the Laggarfalken (Falco jugger ) and the gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus ) a monophyletic group. These four types are not genetically distinguishable from each other. It is morphospecies that are genetically so far hardly differentiated and their Radiation evolutionary recent date. Ursprungsart is probably the Lanner falcon, which is now widespread in many parts of Africa. From there, the spread is likely to be carried out. It is therefore proposed in a Superpezies Hierofalco for these 4 forms an association. From the group of peregrine falcons ( Falco peregrinus eg, Falco Falco mexicanus pelegrinoides and also ) the Hierofalco are genetically clearly separated.