Falco biarmicus

The Lanner Falcon is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) because of its extremely small breeding population, estimated at less than 50 mature individuals. In the previous edition of the Red Book (2002), it was classified as Vulnerable (VU). The change in its threat category reflects the deterioration in the population as well as differences in assessment methods between the editions.

Habitats	Desert Cliffs
Presence In Israel	Resident
Nesting In Israel	Breeder
Migration Types	Resident
Zoography Zones	Saharo-Arabian, Sudano-Zambezian
Landscape Formations	Cliffs
Vegetation Densities	Low
Nest Locations	Cliffs
Diet Types	Vertebrate
Foraging Grounds	Aerial, Ground
Body Sizes	Medium (500 - 1000g)
Threat Factors	Nest Harvesting, Human Settlements in Gorges, Hiking & Climbing, Pesticide Poisoning, Lead Poisoning, Direct Persecution

The Lanner Falcon is a large and long-winged falcon, the largest falcon breeding in our region. It is a fast, aggressive raptor that hunts small birds on the wing, as well as birds and mammals on the ground. Territorial pairs often hunt together. Upper parts are dark, grey or brown, and underparts are cream colored, with delicate dark streaking. It can be recognized by its reddish cap and narrow black moustache.

A rare resident in Israel’s desert region, particularly in the Judean Desert, the Negev Highlands, the Eastern Negev and the Arava cliffs. Until the mid-20th century, it nested in most of the cliffs in Israel, both in the desert and on Mt. Carmel and the Galilee. The population in northern Israel comprised at least 30 pairs (Hatsofe et al. 2005). It disappeared during the 1960s and 1970s, mainly due to poisoning. During the last three decades, the species gradually disappeared from Eastern Samaria, the northern Judean Desert (north of Nahal Kedem), the western Negev Highlands and the southern Arava.

The Lanner Falcon nests on cliffs near open landscapes, particularly in arid areas, but also in marshes, lakes and even in forested areas – as long as there are open areas suitable for hunting nearby.

In the late 1980s the Lanner Falcon population was estimated at 25 to 30 pairs (Shirihai 1996). Today the number of breeding pairs is estimated at 15 to 20, of which 8 pairs are in the southern Judean Desert and 8-10 pairs in the eastern and southern Negev (Mayrose & Hatsofe 2017).

In the second half of the 20th century, almost the entire breeding population in Israel’s Mediterranean region was decimated because of secondary poisoning by agricultural pesticides. The Lanner Falcons that bred in eastern Samaria were affected by nest robbing and loss of nesting sites due to sheep herding activity in steep wadis. In addition, there is evidence that juveniles roaming to distant sites are harmed by hunting and captured for falconry both in Israel and in neighboring countries (Ohad Hatsofe, pers. comm.)

Since 1990, efforts have been made to rehabilitate the Lanner Falcon population and to reintroduce it to Israel’s Mediterranean region. In the Carmel Hai Bar, there is breeding nucleus of Lanner Falcons and every year a number of immature birds are released into nature. In 1999 a pair of falcons from the breeding nucleus was observed nesting at the Hadera Power Plant, and in 2003 and 2004 Lanner Falcons apparently nested in Nahal Kziv (Hatsofe et al. 2005).

The Lanner Falcon is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), because its population is extremely small and limited to relatively undisturbed desert areas (in the southern Judean Desert and in the Eastern Negev). For the past three decades, efforts have been made to reintroduce and rehabilitate the species, but Lanner Falcons have still not return to breed regularly in Israel’s Mediterranean region. The decision whether to continue with the reintroduction efforts depends on understanding the movement patterns of immature falcons and the threat factors resulting from them.

There is insufficient information regarding the areas in which juvenile Lanner Falcons disperse and the resulting threat factors. This information can be obtained by telemetry study of both captive and wild born individuals.

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