Amur falcon (Falco amurensis

Amur falcon 

(Falco amurensis) 

#Saryuwetland

#Wildlife schedule-1

#Passage migrant

#Ayodhya 

Uttar Pradesh

Nikon Gears

*First time recorded in this region, very rare sighting on ebird's  Global Big Day 17th October 2020*

This is a small raptor of the falcon family. It breeds in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China before migrating in large flocks across India and over the Arabian Sea to winter in Southern Africa.

Males are characteristically dark sooty grey above with rufous thighs and vent. In flight, the wing lining is white, contrasting with the dark wing feathers. Adult males of the closely related red-footed falcon have a dark grey wing lining. In Africa, males can be confused with melanistic Gabar goshawks, but the chestnut on the vent is distinctive. Also, there may be some superficial resemblance to the sooty falcon and the grey kestrel, but those two species both have yellow feet and cere. The wings are long as in most falcons (with a span of 63–71 cm) and at rest the wing tip reaches or extends just beyond the tail-tip.