Gyrfalcons in South Dakota

Central South Dakota may be the best place to find a gyrfalcon in the lower 48. I've photographed a number of gyrfalcons within 50 miles of Pierre, South Dakota over the last few years. 

Typical adult gray gyrfalcon found in this area.



Typical juvenile gyrfalcon

gyr1.jpg (148108 bytes)

White gyrfalcon photographed near Richland Wildlife Area, Jones County, South Dakota
April 10, 2001
Photographed by Doug Backlund with Sony TRV-320 Video Camera

Map of Gyrfalcon sightings in Pierre Area 2003-2004
This map provided by Mike Erickson (PDF file), show all reported sighting of gyrfalcons for winter of 2003-2004
(updated Jan 6, offsite link, click back to return)

Prairie falcons
Prairie falcons are similar in appearance to the typical gray gyrs we see here, but are smaller, with relatively shorter tails, and with a more pronounced white mark behind a dark malar mark. Prairie falcons also have black axillaries, gyrs do not.

My thoughts on people who shoot raptors

Me with a female gray morph gyrfalcon caught and banded on Februrary 2, 2002 by Mike Erickson .
Gon Sanchez recaptured this same gyr on January 14, 2004 just a few miles from the 2002 banding site.
(Gon did his M.S. thesis on gyrs in South Dakota: Sanchez, G. H. 1993. The ecology of wintering Gyrfalcons Falco rusticolus
in central South Dakota. M.S. thesis, Boise State University, Boise, ID.)

Gyrfalcons photographed winter of 2005-2006 are at my new website:
http://www.wildphotosphotography.com/WildPhotos/Gyrfalcons/gyrfalcon.htm

Gyrfalcons I've photographed during the winter of 2003-2004

   The Pheasant Farm Gyr returns!
Banded in 2001 by Mike Erickson, I also photographed this gyr
in January of 2003

   1st year gyrfalcon interloping on the Pheasant Farm Gyr's
winter territory    November 28, 2003
Adult gyrfalcon digiscoped at Hayes, Stanley County Adult gyrfalcon near Okobojo Creek in Sully County,
December 7, 2003
Adult gyrfalcon digiscoped 16 miles south of Fort Pierre, Dec. 14, 2003 Christmas gyrfalcon, about 3 miles SW of the Oahe Dam,
Stanley County.
Young gyrfalcon digiscoped six miles north of Pierre, January 11, 2004 Gyrfalcons  January 19, 2004
These gyrs could be the same one I photographed on Dec. 7 and Jan. 11, then again they could be new ones.

Gyrfalcons photographed in winter of 2002-2003

Adult gyr, Sully County on New Years Day 1/1/2003 1st year gyr seen near West Shore boat ramp, Oahe Dam, Stanley County 2/9/2003
The pheasant farm gyr, an adult on County Line Road about 12 miles SE of Fort Pierre. This gyr was banded by Mike Erickson in 2001. 1/11/2003 A not very good photo of an adult gyr, 5 miles west and one north of Hayes, Stanley County, 2/20/2003
1st year gyr about 3 miles SW of Presho, Lyman County 2/8/2003 Adult gyr, may be the same one photographed on New Years Day. Another 1st year gyr was seen on this day along Hwy. 1804. 2/26/2003
Adult gyr, seen on 3/8/2003 about 2 miles west of Ft. Pierre, on Hwy. 34 Young gyr seen on April 9, 2003 near the Triple U Buffalo Ranch, Stanley Co.

 

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