Justification This species has been uplisted to Near Threatened owing to concerns that its population may be much smaller than previously thought, and in decline. Detailed surveys and robust monitoring are much desired, and would lead to a clarification of its status.

Family/Sub-family Falconidae

Species name author Temminck, 1825

Taxonomic source(s) AERC TAC (2003), Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 34cm. Medium-sized agile falcon with long narrow wings and long tail. Flight rapid and elastic with sudden swoops and dives but also soaring and gliding on flat wings. Adult: Sooty-grey all over. On upperwings contrast between darker primaries wing-coverts but entirely lacking contrast in underwings. Juvenile: Show pale tips to upperpart feathers and yellow-buff underparts with sooty-grey streaking. Throat, hindneck and cheeks all yellowish-buff. Similar ssp. Size slightly larger than F.subbuteo, but smaller than F.elenorae. Resembles dark morph F.elenorae but with more prominent yellow cere, con-colourous underwings and jizz more similar to F.subbuteo. Juvenile even more similar, best seperated by stuctural differences and broad dark terminal band on undetail. Hints: Often crespuscular.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

10,000-19,999

decreasing

-

No

Range & population Falco concolor breeds discontinuously and highly locally from Libya, eastwards through Egypt to the Red Sea islands off Sudan, Djibouti and Ethiopia, islands and coasts of north-west and south-west Saudi Arabia and north-west Yemen, southern Israel and south Jordan, as well as islands in the Persian Gulf from Qatar to Oman and south-west Pakistan; scattered records away from known breeding areas, especially in Arabia, suggest possible nesting in other parts of the region. Most of the population winters in Madagascar, but a small but unknown proportion winters in coastal Mozambique and eastern South Africa (south to southern Natal), and there is also limited over-wintering in the southern part of the breeding range. Estimating the total population has proved notoriously difficult, and the population may have been overestimated in the past. However, there are now thought to be no more than a few thousand wintering in Madagascar and a recent review of all Arabian census data, (which is reportedly surprisingly comprehensive for this species), and found that the total Arabian population is probably just below 500 breeding pairs^1,2. Given that the Arabian population is generally regarded as the largest within its range (perhaps half of the world population), the estimate from Madagascar may indeed prove to be accurate¹. Anecdotal evidence from Madagascar indicates a decline, and this is mirrored by data from breeding colonies in the Middle East^2,3,4.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It breeds in hot, arid environments; on cliffs, small rocky islands and rugged desert mountains where its breeding is timed to coincide with the autumn migration of small birds on which it feeds. In the non-breeding season it forages for large insects over grassland and open country with trees.

Threats Most of its breeding colonies are inaccessible or in protected areas so it would appear to be declining due to pressures in wintering grounds or on migration. Increased pesticide use has been suggested as a causal factor, but egg analysis indicates that it is at very low concentrations in these birds.

Conservation measures underway None is known.

Conservation measures proposed Monitor a number of breeding colonies annually to assess trends. Research the ecology of non-breeding birds in Madagascar to assess potential threatening processes. Oppose developments which would encroach on breeding colonies. Restrict access to important breeding colonies. Conduct surveys, to locate further breeding colonies and determine the proportion of birds that winter outside Madagascar.

References 1. Jennings and Sadler (2006). 2. F. Hawkins in litt. (2007). 3. McGrady in litt. (2007). 4. Kavanagh and King (2003).

Text account compilers Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Matt Harding (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Contributors Saeed Abdulla Al Khuzai, Sharif Al-Jbour (BirdLife International - Middle East Division), S. Baha El Din, Tom Coles, Marion Gschweng, Frank Hawkins (Conservation International), Mike Jennings, Clive Mann, Mike McGrady, Mohammed Shobrak (National Wildlife Research Centre)

IUCN Red List evaluators Jeremy Bird (BirdLife International), Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Falco concolor. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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