Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Introduction

Red-footed Falcon is a vagrant to Britain & Ireland, reported annually but in varying numbers.

With a breeding range that extends from Estonia, Slovakia and Hungary east to north-west China, this is a migratory species that winters in the south of Africa.

Key Stats

Status

Rare

Weight

155.3g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

4.1k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Red-footed Falcon

Songs and Calls

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Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Red-footed Falcon, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

Call:

Alarm call:

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

Vulnerable

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Near Threatened

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*

South Yorkshire, 1830

* 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 species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Breeding Distribution for Red-footed Falcon

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

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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Red-footed Falcons are scarce vagrants, most often encountered in late spring and 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 Red-footed 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

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

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 Red-footed 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.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Red-footed Falcon

Classification and Codes

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Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Scientific name: Falco vespertinus
Authority: Linnaeus, 1766

BTO 2-letter code: FV
BTO 5-letter code: REFFA
Euring code number: 3070

Alternate species names

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Catalan: falcó cama-roig
Czech: poštolka rudonohá
Danish: Aftenfalk
Dutch: Roodpootvalk
Estonian: punajalg-pistrik
Finnish: punajalkahaukka
French: Faucon kobez
Gaelic: Seabhag-dhearg-chasach

German: Rotfußfalke
Hungarian: kék vércse
Icelandic: Kvöldfálki
Irish: Fabhcún Cosdearg
Italian: Falco cuculo
Latvian: kukainu piekuns
Lithuanian: raudonkojis sakalas
Norwegian: Aftenfalk

Polish: kobczyk (zwyczajny)
Portuguese: falcão-verpertino
Slovak: sokol kobcovitý
Slovenian: rdecenoga postovka
Spanish: Cernícalo patirrojo
Swedish: aftonfalk
Welsh: Cudyll Troedgoch

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.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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