Gyrfalcon Diet in Central West Greenland During the Nesting Period

Diet of the Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus ) in Northern Fennoscandia.

“…The diet of the Gyrfalcon has been studied in several countries in different parts of the species range (e.g., Cade et al 1998, Nielsen 2003, Booms and Fuller 2003, Booms et al 2008. In Europe, research on this topic has been most intensive so far in Iceland (Bengtson 1971, Nielsen and Cade 1990, Nielsen 1999, 2003, but there are important publications also from Norway (Hagen 1952, Langvatn 1977, Langvatn and Moksnes 1979, from Sweden (Lindberg 1983, Nyström et al 2005, and from the Kola Peninsula, Russia (Dementiev and Gortchakovskaya 1945, Kishchinskiy 1958, Giljazov et al 2008).…”

“…In Europe, research on this topic has been most intensive so far in Iceland (Bengtson 1971, Nielsen and Cade 1990, Nielsen 1999, 2003, but there are important publications also from Norway (Hagen 1952, Langvatn 1977, Langvatn and Moksnes 1979, from Sweden (Lindberg 1983, Nyström et al 2005, and from the Kola Peninsula, Russia (Dementiev and Gortchakovskaya 1945, Kishchinskiy 1958, Giljazov et al 2008). In the New World, diet of the Gyrfalcon has been studied in Greenland (Burnham andMattox 1984, Booms andFuller 2003), Canada (Poole and Boag 1988) and Alaska (Cade 1960). Summaries of these and some other minor studies have been published in recent years by Cade et al (1998) and Nielsen (2003) from the Old World, and by Booms et al (2008) from the New World.…”

“…eaten by a Gyrfalcon pair studied by Dementiev and Gortchakovskaya (1945) on an island near the coast of the Kola Peninsula was astonishingly low, only 3.4%; the main food sources at this nest were seabirds and Norwegian Lemmings. Also, in arctic North America, mammals (Ground Squirrels Spermophilus undulatus or Arctic Hares), and in Greenland, Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) and other small passerines as well as hares and Collared Lemmings (Dicrostonyx groenlandicus) have been recorded among the most numerous prey species (Cade 1960, Burnham and Mattox 1984, Poole and Boag 1988, Booms and Fuller 2003, Booms et al 2008). …”

Scottish racing pigeons killed by Peregrine FalconsFalco peregrinus: estimation of numbers from ring recoveries and Peregrine daily food intake

“…Ratcliffe (1993) suggested that 20% of prey is 'wastage', in the form of body parts such as large bones, which are not consumed. Even taking this into account, there is still a difference (150 g × 120% = 180 g); this may be explained by parent Peregrines delivering food to their nestlings that may be slightly in excess of requirements (Ratcliffe 1993), and uneaten prey that is removed from the nest (Booms & Fuller 2003) may not always be consumed later.…”

“…The food consumption of an adult Peregrine is likely to be similar to that of a nestling (Booms & Fuller 2003). Weir (1978) calculated from observations in the wild that 150 g was consumed per day on average.…”