Amur Falcon

Overview

The Amur falcon, Falco amurensis, is a small raptor that breeds in south-eastern Siberia and northern China. It is a distinct species, though it was long considered a subspecies of the red-footed falcon, and it is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Males are dark sooty grey above with rufous thighs and vent, and in flight they show white wing linings that contrast with dark wing feathers.
• Adults have long wings with a span of 63–71 cm, where the wing tips reach or extend just beyond the tail tip at rest.
• Females are distinctive for having an orange eye-ring, a red cere, and reddish orange feet, while juveniles lack the buffy underwing coverts found in red-footed falcons.

Habitat

The species breeds in east Asia from Transbaikalia and Amurland to parts of North Korea, utilising open wooded country with marshes. During migration, it passes through open forests or grasslands across India and over the Arabian Sea to winter on the southern and east African coasts.

Diet

The Amur falcon forages mainly in the evening or early morning, capturing insects in flight or on the ground, though it also hovers to catch prey. While its winter diet consists almost entirely of insects such as termites and locusts, it feeds its young in the breeding range with small birds, mammals, and amphibians.

Did you know?

The bird's migration over the Arabian Sea coincides with the migration of globe skippers (dragonflies), which provide essential food during the most arduous part of the route.