Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug)
Saker Falcon

Saker Falcon

Falco cherrug

The saker falcon, Falco cherrug, is a majestic bird of prey, notable for its robust size, which places it among the larger falcons. It is comparable in size to the gyrfalcon, with a length ranging from 45 to 57 centimeters and a wingspan of 97 to 126 centimeters. The males are typically lighter, weighing between 730 and 990 grams, while females are heavier, ranging from 970 to 1,300 grams. Its plumage is variable, generally displaying a brownish hue with darker streaks, especially in younger birds.

Identification Tips

When identifying the saker falcon, look for a large raptor with broad wings and a powerful build. It bears a resemblance to the prairie falcon but is distinguished by its larger size and more robust form. The saker's plumage is often a mix of brown tones with streaking below, and it possesses a sharp, piercing call that can be heard as a "kiy-ee" or a repeated "kyak-kyak-kyak."

Habitat

The saker falcon favors open grasslands that offer some degree of tree cover or cliffs. These environments provide the ideal hunting grounds for this raptor, allowing it to pursue prey across the plains or from elevated perches.

Distribution

This species has a broad range, breeding from Central Europe across the Palearctic to Manchuria. It is a partial migrant, with some populations remaining resident while others, particularly juveniles in Europe and West Asia, migrate to wintering grounds in the Sahel region.

Behaviour

Saker falcons are known for their horizontal hunting strategy, often chasing down prey across the ground rather than diving from great heights like the peregrine falcon. They are versatile hunters, preying on a variety of rodents and birds, with ground squirrels and feral pigeons being common targets in Europe.

Song & Calls

The vocalizations of the saker falcon include a sharp "kiy-ee" and a repetitive "kyak-kyak-kyak," which can be heard during interactions between individuals or when the bird is disturbed.

Breeding

Saker falcons typically do not construct their own nests but instead lay their eggs in abandoned stick nests originally built by other bird species, such as storks, ravens, or buzzards. They may also choose to nest on cliff ledges. Clutch sizes range from 3 to 6 eggs.

Similar Species

The saker falcon can be confused with the lanner falcon due to their similar size and appearance. However, the saker is generally larger and more heavily built than the lanner.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the saker falcon consists mainly of rodents and birds. They are skilled hunters, capturing their prey by swift pursuit across their grassland habitats.

Conservation status

The saker falcon is currently classified as Endangered by the IUCN. Its populations have suffered rapid declines, particularly in Central Asia, due to illegal trapping for falconry, habitat destruction, and other anthropogenic pressures. Conservation efforts include captive breeding programs and targeted population surveys to better understand and protect this species.

Saker Falcon Sounds


Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Saker Falcon Fun Facts

Did you know?
The Saker Falcon is the national bird of Hungary & Mongolia

Saker Falcons on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Jeremie Berlioux
24 Apr 2023 - 11:58am
Kazakhstan

More Caracaras, Falcons

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
D3Nature
Great app for learning Birds
I’ve been using the app for a couple of months and love it....Someone said it’s like a real life Pokémon Go for birds. They’re not far off! It’s something that the family can do that gets you out and about. Well worth downloading no matter your age.
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
Marlster24
Recommend for any bird watcher
Very wholesome app: I joined this app with a new interest in watching birds to help me find out what I was spotting. The community is very active in helping identify birds which is great and everyone is very kind so it’s just a nice wholesome community. I would definitely recommend this for any bird spotter 😃
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.