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Saker Falcon


Saker Falcon
Photo Information
Copyright: Petr Bambousek (Orchidej) Silver Note Writer [C: 1 W: 0 N: 44] (862)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-04-29
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D200, Nikkor AF300mm f4
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-05-07 16:28
Viewed: 1170
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 10
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug) is a large falcon. This species breeds from eastern Europe eastwards across Asia to Manchuria. It is mainly migratory except in the southernmost parts of its range, wintering in Ethiopia, the Arabian peninsula, northern India and western China. During the end of the last ice age - oxygen isotope stages 3-2 or some 40,000 to 10,000 years ago -, it also occurred in Poland (Tomek & Bocheński 2005).

The Saker Falcon is a very large falcon, almost as large as Gyr Falcon at 47-55cm length with a wingspan of 105-129cm. Its broad blunt wings give it a silhouette similar to Gyr Falcon, but its plumage is more similar to a Lanner Falcon's. It is a carnivore, usually hunting by horizontal pursuit, rather than the Peregrine's stoop from a height, and feeds mainly on rodents and more rarely birds.

Saker Falcons have brown upperparts and contrasting grey flight feathers. The head and underparts are paler brown, with streaking from the breast down. Males (sakrets) and females are similar, as are young birds, although these tend to be a duller brown. The call is a sharp "kiy-ee".

Adults can be distinguished from the similar Lanner Falcon since the Lanner is blue-grey above with a whitish belly. However, juveniles of the two species can be very similar although the Lanner never shows the all-dark thighs of the Saker.
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Petr,
Woaw..! Very good capture and good sharpness.
Colours and light is perfect..! Very nice shot here...!
Well done,
Patrick

  • Great 
  • joelo Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 40 W: 10 N: 37] (148)
  • [2007-05-07 16:42]

Hi Petr,
Very nice portrait. The negative space on the right side makes for an interesting composition. The shot is well exposed, and the head is crisply focused with good detail in the feathers. the only flaw is that the focus on the wing is rather soft. You might have been better off with a longer lens from a little farther away.
TFS, Joel

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2262 W: 10 N: 2630] (15565)
  • [2007-05-07 18:27]

Hola amigo,
espléndido retrato,
estupendos tonos,luz y bello pov.
saludos Petr

  •      
  • methos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 213 W: 51 N: 281] (1187)
  • [2007-05-07 19:27]

Hi Petr,
this is such a rare and beautiful bird. you have captured it here very good.
I love the details and colors as well as the nice BG.
I love this pic.
Goes to favorites!
TFS!

Hey Petr,

Great colors and nice pov. The colors of these birds is stunning and you done a great job showing it.
TFS

fototab

Nice portrait of this beautiful bird

i do realy love your work its more artistic than most, do you do this professionally?
think this is a wonderful capture that deserves more smilies though this system seems a waste of time perhaps a rating score would be better for us 10/10

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