Facts about Gyrfalcon
- 09
Breeding gyrfalcons demonstrate remarkable site fidelity by returning to the same cliff nests year after year, with some pairs using identical nest sites for over two decades.
- 08
Three to four chicks typically fledge per successful gyrfalcon nest, with survival rates heavily dependent on prey availability during the critical summer months.
- 07
Ptarmigan and other Arctic game birds comprise the primary diet of gyrfalcons, with a single breeding pair consuming approximately 700 prey birds annually to feed their offspring.
- 06
Gyrfalcons can live over 20 years in the wild, with the oldest known individual reaching at least 24 years old when recaptured in Iceland.
- 05
Gyrfalcon pairs maintain the same nesting territories for decades, with some pairs occupying identical cliff ledges for over 20 consecutive years.
- 04
In medieval falconry, gyrfalcons were prized so highly that Icelandic rulers often exchanged them as diplomatic gifts to European monarchs, with white morphs from the Arctic commanding prices exceeding those of horses.
- 03
Female gyrfalcons weigh up to 2.6 pounds, making them nearly twice as heavy as males, a sexual dimorphism among the largest falcons.
- 02
Arctic gyrfalcons migrate over 2,000 miles annually between their breeding grounds in the high north and wintering territories in lower latitudes.
- 01
Speeds reaching 240 miles per hour make the gyrfalcon the fastest animal on Earth during its hunting dives.