JeffWendorff's bird photography portfolio includes the
Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus
The
Gyrfalcon also spelled gerfalcon, Falco rusticolus, is the largest of the falcon species. The
Gyrfalcon breeds on Arctic coasts and the islands of North America, Europe, and Asia. It is mainly a resident there also, but some
Gyrfalcons disperse more widely after the breeding season, or in winter. Individual vagrancy can take birds for long distances. The
Gyrfalcon is dispersed throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere, with populations in Northern America, Greenland, and Northern Europe. Its plumage varies with location, with birds being coloured from all-white to dark brown.
For centuries,
Gyrfalcon has been a precious hunting bird, highly valued among the Vikings. It is the national symbol of Iceland.
The bird's common name comes from French gerfaucon; in medieval Latin it is gyrofalco. The first part of the word may come from the German Geier for "vulture", referring to its size compared to other falcons; or from the Latin gȳrus for "circle" or "curved path"—from the species' circling as it searches for prey, distinct from the hunting of other falcons in its range. The male
Gyrfalcon is called a gyrkin in falconry. The scientific name is composed of the Latin term for a falcon, Falco, and for a countryside-dweller, rusticolus.
Jeff leads photography workshops around the country including workshops that specialize in bird photography. If you’d like to learn more about his nature and wildlife photography workshops, visit his website at
www.wildlifeworkshops.com
