Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderFalconiformes (Falcons and Caracaras)
- FamilyFalconidae (Falcons and Caracaras)
- GenusFalco (Typical Falcons)
- SpeciesFalco rusticolus (Gyrfalcon)
The gyrfalcon ( or ) (Falco rusticolus), also abbreviated as gyr, is a bird of prey and the largest species in the falcon family, Falconidae. A high-latitude species, the gyrfalcon breeds on the Arctic coasts and tundra, the islands of northern North America and Siberia, where it is mainly a resident species. Some gyrfalcons disperse more widely after the breeding season or in winter, and individual vagrancy can take birds for long distances. Its plumage varies with location, with birds being coloured from all-white to dark grey-brown. These colour variations are called morphs. Like other falcons, it shows sexual dimorphism, with the female much larger than the male. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Gyrfalcon sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Vatnajokull National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 2 | Denali National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Katmai National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gyrfalcon in Vatnajokull National Park?
About 14% of wildlife watchers report a Gyrfalcon sighting in Vatnajokull National Park, based on 16 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gyrfalcon in Vatnajokull National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Gyrfalcon in Vatnajokull National Park in our monthly data.