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Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Aves > Order: Falconiformes > Family: Falconidae > Genus: Falco > Species: Falco rusticolus

Gyrfalcon - Falco rusticolus Linnaeus, 1758

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Quick facts

Threat status Europe	Least Concern (IUCN)
EU Population status	Threatened
Protected by	EU Birds Directive and 6 other international agreements
Natura 2000 sites	4 are designated for this species
Breeding habitats	heathland and shrub sparsely vegetated land
Natura 2000 species code	A102

Distribution

The distribution map is currently disabled. A new map solution will soon become available. In the meantime, please consult other species distribution map providers listed in the Other resources panel below.

Threat and EU population status

IUCN Red List status of threatened species

The IUCN Red List threat status assesses the risk of extinction.

World

Least Concern

Europe

Least Concern

Vulnerable

EU population status

The status of the population at the EU level was evaluated at the species level; this was based on the reports delivered by Member States under Article 12 of the Birds Directive (see fact sheet below). The EU status assessment can cover several subspecies/subspecific population units. For more information, please consult the species fact sheet and link below.

IUCN Red List Category

Not Evaluated	Near Threatened	Regionally Extinct
Not Applicable	Vulnerable	Extinct in the Wild
Data Deficient	Endangered	Extinct
Least Concern	Critically Endangered

Sources:

Population status categories for bird species under the Birds Directive

Secure

Near Threatened, declining or depleted

Threatened (i.e. vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered, regionally extinct)

Unknown or not evaluated

Natura 2000 sites

Protected in the following Natura 2000 sites

Sitecode	Country	Site name	Action
FI1100203	Finland	Isomatala-Maasyvänlahti	Map
FI1100204	Finland	Ojakylänlahti ja Kengänkari	Map
FI1105202	Finland	Siikajoen lintuvedet ja suot	Map
PLB220004	Poland	Ujście Wisły	Map

Protected sites

Please note the site map takes a while to display.

Legal status

Mentioned in the following international legal instruments and agreements

Legal text	Annex	More information
Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 30 November 2009, on the conservation of wild birds (EU Birds Directive)	Annex I: Species that shall be the subject of special conservation measures concerning their habitat in order to ensure their survival and reproduction in their area of distribution. Member States shall classify territories as special protection areas for the conservation of these species.	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention)	Annex II: strictly protected fauna species (All species of Falconiformes)	http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cul.../bern/default_en.asp
	Revised Annex I of Resolution 6 (1998) of the Bern Convention listing the species requiring specific habitat conservation measures (year of revision 2011)	https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc....ckColorLogged=FDC864 Resolution No. 6 (1998) of the Bern Convention lists the species requiring specific habitat conservation measures [and the designation of Areas of Special Conservation Interest (ASCIs) forming for the Emerald network]
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. (Bonn Convention)	Annex II: migratory species which have an unfavourable conservation status and which require international agreements for their conservation and management, as well as those which have a conservation status which would significantly benefit from the international co-operation that could be achieved by an international agreement. (Migratory species of Falconidae)	http://www.cms.int/
Memorandum of understanding on the conservation of migratory birds of prey in Africa and Eurasia - under Bonn Convention (MoU Raptors)	Annex I: migratory populations of Falconiformes and Strigiformes species occurring in Africa and Eurasia to which this MoU applies	http://www.cms.int/raptors/
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)	Annex I: species threatened with extinction which are or may be affected by trade. Trade in specimens of these species must be subject to particularly strict regulation in order not to endanger further their survival and must only be authorized in exceptional circumstances.	http://www.cites.org/eng
Commission regulation (EU) No 1320/2014, of 1 December 2014, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein (EU regulation of trade of fauna and flora)	Annex A includes: All CITES Appendix I species, except where EU Member States have entered a reservation; Some CITES Appendix II and III species, for which the EU has adopted stricter domestic measures; Some non-CITES species	http://ec.europa.eu/environm...s/legislation_en.htm

Common names and synonyms

Common Name	Language	Reference
Falcão-gerifalte	Portuguese	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Faucon gerfaut	French	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Gerfalke	German	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Giervalk	Dutch	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Girfalco d'Islanda	Italian	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Gyrfalcon	English	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Halcón Gerifalte	Spanish	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Jagtfalk	Danish	EC-DGXI.d2, ETC/NC
Jaktfalk	Norwegian	Direktoratet for Naturforvaltning
Jaktfalk	Swedish	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Raroh lovecký	Czech	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Sarki sólyom	Hungarian	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.
Tunturihaukka	Finnish	Hagemeijer, W.J.M. & Blair, M.J.

Synonym	Author
All species of Falconiformes
Migratory species of Falconidae

Other resources

Bird action plan
CoL (accepted name)	Catalogue of Life
EBCC Atlas of breeding birds	European Bird Census Council's Atlas of Breeding Birds
EURing code:03180	European bird-ringing
EoL	Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea	Fauna Europaea
GBIF	Global Biodiversity Information Facility
ITIS (Valid name)	Interagency Taxonomic Information System
NCBI	National Center for Biotechnology Information
PESI (Accepted)	Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure
Species+	Species+ by UNEP-WCMC
Wikipedia	Wikipedia
WoRMS	World Register of Marine Species

External data

Population distribution from "Birds in Europe" editions 1 and 2

These publications present a thorough and detailed review of the conservation status of European birds. Based on detailed breeding and wintering population data collected in each country, the report provides a review of the population sizes and trends of Species of European Conservation Concern.

16 items found, displaying all items.1

Country	Biogeographic region	Min / Max (Units)	Period	Status	Quality	Source	Published
Denmark	Arctic	500/1000 (pairs)	-	Breeding	Species poorly known, with no quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 1 (1970-1990)	1994-01-01
Denmark - Greenland		500/1000 (pairs)	1990-2000	Breeding	Reliable quantitative data (e.g. atlas survey or monitoring data, etc.) are available for the whole period and region in question	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Denmark - Greenland		2000/5000 (individuals)	1990-2000	Wintering	Reliable quantitative data (e.g. atlas survey or monitoring data, etc.) are available for the whole period and region in question	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Estonia		0/3 (individuals)	1998	Wintering	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Finland		50/100 (individuals)	1998-2002	Wintering	Reliable quantitative data (e.g. atlas survey or monitoring data, etc.) are available for the whole period and region in question	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Finland		25/35 (pairs)	1998-2002	Breeding	Species poorly known, with no quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Finland		30/30 (pairs)	1992	Breeding	Reliable quantitative data (e.g. atlas survey or monitoring data, etc.) are available for the whole period and region in question	Birds in Europe 1 (1970-1990)	1994-01-01
Iceland		1000/2000 (individuals)	2003	Wintering	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Iceland		300/400 (pairs)	2000	Breeding	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Iceland	Arctic	300/400 (pairs)	1981-1985	Breeding	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 1 (1970-1990)	1994-01-01
Norway		300/481 (pairs)	1998	Breeding	Species poorly known, with no quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Norway		300/500 (pairs)	1990	Breeding	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 1 (1970-1990)	1994-01-01
Russian Federation		100/200 (pairs)	1994-2000	Breeding	Reliable quantitative data (e.g. atlas survey or monitoring data, etc.) are available for the whole period and region in question	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Russian Federation		50/200 (pairs)	-	Breeding	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 1 (1970-1990)	1994-01-01
Sweden		80/135 (pairs)	1999-2000	Breeding	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 2 (1990-2000)	2004-01-01
Sweden		100/200 (pairs)	-	Breeding	Species generally well known, but only poor or incomplete quantitative data available	Birds in Europe 1 (1970-1990)	1994-01-01

Source: BirdLife International

Population trends from "Birds in Europe" editions 1 and 2