Breeding habitat: steep mountain crags, often above the tree line in bare alpine terrain. The Gyrfalcon builds no nest of its own but uses old Raven or eagle nests on cliff ledges. Many nests are traditional sites that have been used for hundreds of years — some Swedish nest sites have documented use since the 1700s.
Breeding season: April–July. The female lays 3–4 eggs on a cliff ledge, incubates for 34–36 days, and the young fledge after about 50 days. The parents stay with the young for a further 4–6 weeks to teach them to hunt ptarmigan.