National Museum, 2; Boston Society, 1. Total, 3.
_Measurements._
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
|Sex.| Wing. | Tail. | Culmen. | Tarsus. |Middle Toe.|Specimens.|
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
| ♂ |14.50–00.00| 9.00–00.00| .90–0.00|2.12–0.00| 1.90–0.00| 1 |
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
| ♀ |15.50–15.75| 9.50–10.00|1.00–1.05|2.00–2.35| 2.00–2.10| 2 |
+----+-----------+-----------+---------+---------+-----------+----------+
HABITS. In treating of the general habits of the Gerfalcons of North
America it will not be necessary, nor will it be possible, to give the
distinctive peculiarities belonging to the several forms in which these
Falcons occur. Whether, on account of their variations of plumage, we
consider them as races or as specifically distinct, does not affect
their history in this respect. There is no good reason for presuming
that they have any very noticeable variations as to any of their habits,
although certain writers claim for some of them certain well-marked
peculiarities of character.
In the matter of geographical distribution they are all, for the most
part, rarely seen, even in midwinter, south of the 50th parallel of
north latitude, and are found in the summer as far north as the Arctic
Ocean. The Gerfalcon of the McKenzie River region, occurring from the
Slave Lake to Anderson River and the Yukon, is the form elsewhere
given as the _F. sacer_. Along our eastern coast region occurs another
form, the _F. labradora_, which is the bird met with in Labrador, and
described by Mr. Audubon. The _F. candicans_ or _grœnlandicus_ is a form
peculiar to Greenland, visiting also, in the winter, the Hudson’s Bay
region; while the _F. islandicus_, a well-known European form, occurs in
Greenland also, and occasionally farther south.
Holböll, in his account of the birds of Greenland (Isis, 1845), appears
to recognize but one species of Gerfalcon as occurring there, to which
he gives the name of _islandicus_. This is, he states, the most abundant
Falcon in Greenland, and is equally common in the northern and in
the southern parts. Their great variations in color he regarded as
indicative of differences in ages to only a very limited extent, and as
in no respect specific. These differences in color were found among both
nestlings and breeding birds, white and dark birds being found together
in both circumstances. The white birds were more numerous in Northern
Greenland, and the dark ones oftener seen in the southern portion.
He found the young birds moulting throughout the winter. On the 4th of
January, 1840, he shot a young female that showed signs of moulting
about the head and neck, with a striped white appearance from the
sprouting feathers. The ovaries were quite well developed, and it was
evident that the birds of this species breed in the first season after
their birth. Holböll adds that they breed in January, that their eggs
are of nearly the same color as those of the Ptarmigan, but are twice as
large. They nest usually in inaccessible cliffs. They prey chiefly upon
water-fowl and Ptarmigans, and usually build near “bird rocks,” from
which they obtain the young without much trouble. He mentions having
once seen one with a young _Larus tridactylus_ in each foot, and another
with two _Tringa maritima_ carried in the same manner. Its rapidity
of flight Holböll did not regard as very great. He had for years kept
pigeons, and only lost two young birds, which were seized when at rest.
Almost every day, especially in October and November, these Falcons
would chase the old Pigeons unsuccessfully, and were often shot when
they followed them too near the house. They were not particularly shy,
and were occasionally decoyed and killed by throwing a dead bird towards
them.
During the summer they are most numerous along the bays, especially
where there are “bird-rocks” near. In September they go southerly along
the coast, and also in October and November. At this time they are
not rare, and approach the houses of the Danes, near which they are
often seen fighting with the Ravens. Their spring migrations are not so
regular as they are in the autumn, or perhaps at this time they do not
approach the houses so frequently. When they are near the settlements,
it is noticed that in the morning they fly towards the south, and in the
evening towards the north.
Richardson speaks of the Gerfalcon as a constant resident in the Hudson
Bay territory, where it is known as the Speckled Partridge-Hawk, and
also as the Winterer. Its southern limit he could not give, but he
never met with it south of 52°. He traced it northward to the coast of
the Arctic Sea, and probably to the most northern Georgian islands.
He cites Captain Sabine as authority for its occurring as far north
as latitude 74° on the west coast of Greenland. Richardson often met
with it during his journeys over the Barren Grounds, where its habitual
prey was the Ptarmigan, and where it also destroyed Plover, Ducks, and
Geese. He relates that in the middle of June, 1821, a pair of these
birds attacked him as he was climbing to the vicinity of their nest,
which was built on a lofty precipice on the borders of Point Lake, in
latitude 65° 30′. The bird flew in circles, uttering loud and harsh
screams, stooping alternately with such velocity that their motions
through the air produced a loud rushing noise. They struck their claws
within an inch or two of his head. Keeping the barrel of his gun close
to his cheek, and suddenly elevating its muzzle when they were in the
act of striking, he found that they invariably rose above the obstacle
with the rapidity of thought, showing equal power of motion. They bore
considerable resemblance to the Snowy Owl, but their flight was much
more rapid.
Mr. MacFarlane, in the memoranda of his collections in the neighborhood
of Anderson River and Fort Anderson, furnishes notes of eighteen
nests of the Gerfalcon obtained by him in that region. With only two
exceptions, these were placed near the tops of pines, or other trees, at
distances from the ground varying from ten to twenty-five feet. In some
instances the nest was placed on the very top of the tree, in others on
a lower limb against the trunk. They were composed of twigs and small
branches, and lined with mosses, hay, deer’s hair, feathers, and other
substances. The parents were always very much excited whenever their
nests were approached, making a great noise, and not unfrequently their
loud screams drew attention to nests that would otherwise have escaped
notice. In one instance a nest had been built on a ledge of rocks thirty
miles northwest of Fort Anderson. It was composed of a few withered
twigs, and lined with mosses and hay. It was found on the 27th of May,
and contained two eggs nearly fresh, and two in a state of greater
development. One nest, placed on a broad branch of a tree, near the
trunk, was of considerable size. Another nest was on the ground, on the
side of a steep and high hill. The earliest date of finding these nests
is given as the 10th of May. The eggs then found were fresh. The ground
at that time was still thickly covered with snow, and the weather was
very cold. In a nest found five days later the eggs contained partially
developed embryos. In nearly every instance the eggs seem to have been
in different stages of development in the same nest. In some, young
birds were in the same nest with eggs only partially developed, and in
another an egg perfectly fresh was in the same nest with others nearly
ready to hatch. A nest found July 3 contained young about two days old;
another, on May 27, had eggs with large embryos; and one, on June 25,
had young nearly ready to fly.
Mr. Donald Gunn claims that this Falcon is the only Hawk that is
resident in the Arctic regions throughout the year. It is known to the
Indians by the name of Pepunesu, and this name is applied to it because
it passes the winter with them. It is a very powerful bird, and commits
great havoc among the Partridges, so much so that in former times the
Hudson Bay Company gave a reward of a quart of rum to every hunter who
brought in the head of one of these Falcons. All the other Hawks are
only summer visitors.
Mr. Bannister was informed by the residents of St. Michaels that a Hawk,
presumed to be this species, is not unfrequent there, though he did not
happen to meet with it. On his voyage home, on the 21st of October,
1866, when off the coast of Kamtschatka, north of Behring’s Island, one
alighted in the rigging of the ship, and continued with them for several
hours.
Although very rare in any part of the United States, occasional
individuals have been taken in different localities, and in one instance
a pair was known to breed for several successive seasons in Vermont.
This information I have from Mr. Clarence King, who, when a lad at
school in the town of Dummerston, observed a pair nesting among some
high cliffs, and informed me of the fact at the time of the occurrence.
One of these birds is recorded by Mr. Lawrence as having been taken on
Long Island in the winter of 1856.
Mr. Boardman gives it as occurring near Calais in winter, but very rare.
Professor Verrill found them not uncommon in Oxford County, Me., where
they were frequently seen during winter, flying about the extensive
meadows near Norway; but they were very shy and watchful, and it was
hardly possible to procure a specimen. It is very unusual in Eastern
Massachusetts, and only very rarely and occasionally have specimens been
taken. Mr. Jillson obtained a specimen, in 1840, at Seekonk. One was
shot, in 1864, near Providence, R. I., by Mr. Newton Dexter.
Mr. Audubon relates that, August 6, 1833, his son, John W. Audubon,
found a nest of this Falcon among some rocky cliffs near Bras d’Or,
Labrador, containing four young birds ready to fly, two of which
were procured. The nest was placed among the rocks, about fifty feet
from their summit and more than a hundred from their base. It was
inaccessible, but, having been examined from above, was seen to be
empty. It was composed of sticks, sea-weeds, and mosses, was about two
feet in diameter, and was almost flat. Its edges were strewed with the
remains of their food, and beneath the nest was an accumulation of the
wings of Ptarmigans, Mormons, Uriæ, etc., mingled with large pellets of
fur, bones, and various substances.
Their flight is spoken of as similar to that of the Peregrine Falcon,
but more elevated, majestic, and rapid. Their cries were also like those
of that Falcon, being very loud, shrill, and piercing. Occasionally this
bird was seen to alight on one of the high stakes placed on the shore.
There it would stand, in the position of a Tern, for a few moments, and
then would pounce upon a Puffin, as the latter bird was standing at the
entrance of its burrow, unaware of the approach of its enemy. The weight
of the Puffin seemed to form no impediment to the Hawk in its flight.
The European Gerfalcons are said to seldom appear south of the 52d
parallel of latitude, or north of 74°. They are nowhere numerous, and
were formerly much sought for, and purchased, at immense prices, for
purposes of falconry. Great differences were supposed to exist in regard
to the habits and other peculiarities of the several races. The Iceland
Falcons commanded the highest prices, and were regarded as a species
quite distinct from the _F. gyrfalco_. The former was much the more
valuable, both as more rare, and as a bird of higher courage and of a
more rapid and bolder flight, and a bird that could, on that account, be
“flown” successfully at larger game.
The Gerfalcons, in Europe, build on the rocky coasts of Norway and
Iceland, and are said to defend their young with great courage and
determination. They are comparatively rare in the British Islands,
especially the more southern portions. Even in the Orkneys it is only an
occasional visitor.
All the eggs of the several forms of Gerfalcon that I have seen present
common characteristics, and do not differ from each other more than
eggs known to belong to the same species of Hawk are frequently found
to vary. One from Greenland, presumed to belong to the _candicans_,
measures 2.37 inches in length by 1.71 in breadth. The predominant color
of its markings is a deep reddish-brown, very generally and nearly
equally diffused over its surface, concealing the ground-color, which is
lighter and of a yellowish-brown shade.
An egg of the _islandicus_, from Iceland, has the same measurements, but
is so slightly yet uniformly marked with light yellowish-brown as to
seem to be of one color only,—a light brown, shaded with yellow.
An egg from Norway, of the form _gyrfalco_, is 2.42 inches in length,
1.71 in breadth, has a ground-color of a dirty yellowish-white, and is
marked with spots, dottings, and confluent blotches of yellowish-brown,
more so about the larger end.
The series of eggs of _Falco sacer_ in the Smithsonian Collection
exhibits the following range of variation in size, color, and markings:
length, from 2.30 to 2.45 inches; breadth, 1.60 to 1.90 inches;
ground-color usually a light reddish-ochre, varying to pinkish on the
one hand, and to rufous on the other. They are usually sprinkled all
over with small spots, which are sometimes not distinguishable from
the ground-color when this is very deep, and again larger and quite
conspicuous.
An egg of the variety _candicans_, from Greenland (No. 2,606, S. I.),
measures 2.25 inches by 1.80. In color and in markings it is like the
average eggs of variety _sacer_, namely, pale rufous, sprinkled over
with a slightly deeper shade.
Falco lanarius.
Var. =polyagrus=, CASSIN.