Gyrfalcon: Song & calls

The Gyrfalcon's call is rarely heard outside the breeding season (April–July) and is more powerful and hoarser than the Peregrine Falcon's:

  • Alarm call at the nest: a hard, repeated "kak-kak-kak-kak" — more powerful, hoarser and slower than the Peregrine's sharper "kja-kja". Heard when people or predators approach the nesting cliff.
  • Contact call between partners: a softer, mewing "ee-tjip-tjip" used during nest relief and prey transfer.
  • Begging call from young: a persistent, whistling whine as hungry young beg for food from the parents.

Since the Gyrfalcon breeds on remote mountain crags its call is seldom reported — observers most often hear the alarm call at a distance of 100–300 metres from nesting cliffs. Recordings are available on xeno-canto and the species' taxon page on Artportalen (the Swedish species observation system).

More about the Gyrfalcon

  • Breeding
Back to Gyrfalcon · Read in Swedish