Red-necked Falcon
Falco chicquera
The Red-necked Falcon (Falco chicquera) is a rare falcons and caracara found in 37 countries, weighing about 208 g. The red-necked falcon is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa.
About the Red-necked Falcon
The red-necked falcon is a bird of prey in the falcon family with two disjunct populations, one in India and the other in Africa. This medium-sized falcon has bluish grey wings and upper body, a chestnut red cap with short chin straps passing through the eye. The primary feathers of the wing are black and a single black band at the tip of the tail are distinctive. The Indian subspecies Falco chicquera chicquera also known as the red-headed merlin or red-headed falcon is found mainly in the open plains of the India Subcontinent although it is thought to have occurred further west in southeastern Iran. The subspecies Falco chicquera ruficollis found in sub-Saharan Africa is sometimes treated…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The red-necked falcon is a medium-sized, long-winged species with a bright rufous crown and nape. It is on average 30–36 cm (12–14 in) in length with a wingspan of 85 cm (33 in). The wings and upper parts are bluish grey and the tail has narrow bars, a broad subterminal black band tipped with white. The wingtip does not reach the tip of the tail at rest. The second and third primaries are the longest and almost equal in length while the first is a fourth the length. The first two primaries are notched. The legs, ceres and eyering are yellow.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Mauritania, Burundi, Angola, Sudan.
When to see it
The Red-necked Falcon can be seen all year round, with peak activity in December. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Red-necked Falcon?
- The red-necked falcon is a medium-sized, long-winged species with a bright rufous crown and nape. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Red-necked Falcon?
- The Red-necked Falcon is a medium sized bird weighing about 208 g.
- Where can you see a Red-necked Falcon?
- The Red-necked Falcon occurs in 37 countries, including India, Namibia, the Gambia, Uganda and Senegal.
- What birds look similar to a Red-necked Falcon?
- The Red-necked Falcon is most easily confused with the Grey Kestrel, the Black Falcon and the Gyrfalcon.
Learn the Red-necked Falcon for real
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