LANNER FALCON (Falco biarmicus)

Lanner Falcon (Falco biarmicus) in the Cuneo province
Translated by
Pierluigi Beraudo
Lorenza Piretta
[email protected]
The Lanner Falcon is a tropical/mediterranean species found in Italy only as its
European ssp.
Feldeggii and estimated at 160-200 pairs (Brichetti & Fracasso, 2003).
Our country is its western limit in Europe and we can see it from Sicily to Emilia Romagna. In this
region there are 0/3 pairs at the moment (G.Premuda, pers.com.)
It is mainly sedentary but juvenile and immature birds straggle within the breeding range.
As for the north-eastern regions in Italy, it had never been seen in Valle d’Aosta while there is one bird
caught in Liguria, near Genoa (Giogini & Truffi, 1990). In Piedmont there are only 3 official records, all
within the Cuneo province:
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One falcon caught near Neive in January 1912 (Boano e Mingozzi, 1985)
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One immature seen from 9 March to 2 April on the Stura river in the Fossano area (link –
Caula et.al., 2005)
-
One juvenile seen in August 2005 in Valle Stura (Caula et.al., 2005)
The last one had been seen on 28 August (R.Toffoli, B.Caula, P.Beraudo) and 30 August
(M.Giordano, A.Gosmar, R.Toffoli) at the “Madonna del Pino” (Demonte), during the census of the
Migrans project (monitoring migratory movements) by the Natural Park Alpi Marittime.
Lanner Falcon, Demonte, 30th August 2005 (M. Giordano)
Finally, there is a falcon seen on the Stura river in January 1999 (link) which is a possible Lanner
Falcon.
The following article deals with the two latest sightings of possible Falcon biarmicus.
Town of “Magliano Alpi”, altipiano del Bainale, 16-22 September 2005.
The bird has been identified after discussing diagnostic characters seen both on site (bird perching
under scarce visibility) and on photographs.
At last we decided it was an adult Lanner falcon in spite of the possibility of a hybrid originating from
captivity thanks to cooperation by Roberto Gildi, Guido Premuda and Andrea Corso.
Plain details leading to the decision were the clearly visible barred back, the shape of the head, the
narrow moustachial stripe and the wide cheek, the pattern of the breast.
That falcon was also seen by B. Caula on 17 September and many times it was perching close to a
Peregrine flacon (falco peregrnus- probably a male) at less than one meter
distance from the
peregrine. It showed a remarkable gap of rise and had no strings on the legs.
Lanner Falcon, Magliano Alpi, 16th September 2005 (P. Beraudo)
The first time I saw that falcon was on 8th march, in the same area haunted by an immature bird (2nd
c.y.) in March/April 2005 (link). Observations during the following days (M.Calvini, R.Toffoli, B.Caula,
P.Beraudo) and careful screening of the photos enabled us the clinching of the adult plumage on the
perched bird while in flight it was clear the prominent contrast between the pale remiges and the dark
coverts, typical in the immature bird.
According to Andrea Corso (pers. com.) this is a characteristic feature which can last till adulthood in
the ssp. “feldeggii”.
I believe it is the same Lanner falcon already seen during spring 2005, in the same place and living in
the same area, not very wide, and having the same behaviour (i.g. interaction with other raptors).
Lanner Falcon, Demonte, 16th March 2006 (R. Toffoli)
Acknowledgements
I wish to thank Bruno Caula; Andrea Corso (highly esteemed and always willing to help); Roberto Gildi
and Guido Premuda (for information and useful discussion about identification); Michelangelo
Giordano and Roberto Toffoli (for photographic materials).
References
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Boano G. & Mingozzi T., 1985. Uccelli di comparsa accidentale nella regione piemontese.
Riv.Piem.St.nat., 6, 1985.
-
Brichetti P. & Fracasso G., 2003. Ornitologia Italiana. Vol. 1 – Gavidae-Falconidae.
-
Caula B., Beraudo P.L., Toffoli R., 2005. Gli uccelli della Provincia di Cuneo. Lab.Terr. Ed.Amb. e
Museo Civ.St.Nat. Bra.
-
Giorgini m. & Truffi G., 1990. Primo accertamento di presenza di Lanario in Liguria. Riv.It.Ornit.,
60: 204.