Eleonora's Falcon

Falco eleonorae

Introduction

The breeding season of this Hobby-like falcon is unusually late (July–August) and is timed to take advantage of the autumn migration period, which brings migrating birds past its Mediterranean breeding colonies. Eleonora's Falcon is an extremely rare visitor to Britain & Ireland.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

369g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

21 records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Merseyside, 1977

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution. Recent long-staying individuals have been seen in Kent and Norfolk.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

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Eleonora's Falcon is a very rare vagrant with a handful of recent records in late spring and early autumn.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Eleonora's Falcon movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Eleonora's Falcon, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Eleonora's Falcon

Classification and Codes

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Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Scientific name: Falco eleonorae
Authority: Géné, 1839

BTO 5-letter code: ELEFA
Euring code number: 3110

Alternate species names

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Catalan: falcó de la reina
Czech: ostríž jižní
Danish: Eleonorafalk
Dutch: Eleonora's Valk
Estonian: vahemere pistrik
Finnish: välimerenhaukka
French: Faucon d’Éléonore

German: Eleonorenfalke
Hungarian: Eleonóra-sólyom
Icelandic: Eyfálki
Italian: Falco della Regina
Latvian: Eleonoras piekuns
Lithuanian: Eleonoros sakalas
Norwegian: Eleonorafalk

Polish: sokól skalny
Portuguese: falcão-da-rainha
Slovak: sokol ostrovný
Slovenian: sredozemski sokol
Spanish: Halcón de Eleonora
Swedish: eleonorafalk

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.