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The saker falcon has been used in falconry for thousands of years, and like its very close relative, the gyrfalcon, is a highly regarded in it. Swift and powerful, it is effective against medium-sized to large-sized game bird species. [21] Saker falcons can reach speeds of 120 to 150 km/h and suddenly swoop down on their prey. [22]
Most falcon species used in falconry are specialized predators, most adapted to capturing bird prey such as the peregrine falcon and merlin. A notable exception is the use of desert falcons such the saker falcon in ancient and modern falconry in Asia and Western Asia, where hares were and are commonly taken.
Additional large raptors, i.e. those that can average 1,000 g (2.2 lb) or more in body mass, taken as prey include the 1,080 g (2.38 lb) red kites (Milvus milvus) from the genus Milvus, and the rough-legged buzzards (Buteo lagopus) and saker falcons (Falco cherrug), in both of which females average more than 1,000 g (2.2 lb).
Saker falcon, Falco cherrug; Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus; Old World parrots ... They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.
The bird that can achieve the greatest airspeed is the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), able to exceed 320 km/h (200 mph) in its dives. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] A close relative of the common swift, the white-throated needletail ( Hirundapus caudacutus ), is commonly reported as the fastest bird in level flight with a reported top speed of 169 km/h (105 ...
The breast is streaked in northern birds, resembling greyish saker falcons, but the lanner has a reddish back to the head. Sexes are similar, but the browner young birds resemble saker falcons even more. However, sakers have a lighter top of the head and less clear head-side patterns. The lanner's call is a harsh "wray-e".
Falcons are known to be very susceptible to avian influenza. Therefore, an experiment was done with hybrid gyr-saker falcons, which found that five falcons vaccinated with a commercial H5N2 influenza vaccine survived infection with a highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, whereas five unvaccinated falcons died. Thus, both wild and captive gyrfalcons ...
Sooty falcon, Falco concolor Temminck, 1825; Merlin, Falco columbarius Linnaeus, 1758; Eurasian hobby, Falco subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758; Lanner falcon, Falco biarmicus Temminck, 1825; Saker falcon, Falco cherrug Gray, JE, 1834 (A) Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771; Ancient Egyptian: its hieroglyphic sign stands for the deity Horus ...