Eleonora's Falcon

Falco eleonorae

Soaring across Mediterranean skies, this swift hunter embarks on one of the longest migrations among European raptors.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

Eleonora's Falcon is a sleek, medium-sized raptor with long, pointed wings and a long tail. Its plumage varies, with two colour morphs: dark and light.

The dark morph is uniformly dark brown, while the light morph has a grey-brown back and white underparts with dark barring.

Both morphs have a dark 'moustache' stripe and yellow eye-ring. Juveniles resemble light morphs but have buff-tinged underparts and a blue-grey cere.

Size

Length

36cm to 42cm

Wingspan

87cm to 104cm

Weight

350g to 450g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Grey

Secondary Colour

White Black

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Yellow

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Eleonora's Falcon can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Eleonora's Falcon is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Eleonora's Falcon breeds on small islands and coastal cliffs in the Mediterranean Sea, from Spain and Morocco to Greece and Cyprus. It also nests on islands off the northwest coast of Africa, including the Canary Islands.

During non-breeding seasons, these falcons migrate to Madagascar and nearby islands in the Indian Ocean, where they spend the winter months in coastal and inland habitats.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 1,000 meters

Climate zones

Mediterranean, Tropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Eleonora's Falcon. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons