Laggar Falcon

Falco jugger

Beak

—

Feet

—

Crest

No crest

Widespread resident; unrecorded in parts of NE and E subcontinent and Sri Lanka. Large falcon, a lthough smaller, slimmer-winged and less powerful than Saker Falcon. Adult has rufous crown, dark stripe through eye extending to nape, narrow but long and prominent dark moustachial stripe, brownish-grey to dark brown upperparts (can be greyer than illustrated), and rather uniform uppertail. Underparts and underwing - coverts vary, can be largely white or heavily streaked, but lower flanks and thighs usually wholly dark brown; typically shows dark panel across underwing-coverts. Juvenile similar to adult, but crown duller, moustachial is broader, and underparts very heavily streaked (almost entirely dark on belly, flanks and underwing - coverts), and has greyish bare parts; differs from juvenile Peregrine in paler crown, finer moustachial stripe, more heavily marked underparts, and unbarred uppertail. Usually seen perched on a regularly used vantage point, such as treetop or post. Also circles high overhead. Hunts mainly by flying rapidly and low and seizing prey on the ground. Open arid country, cultivation, thorn scrub, scrub desert, rocky escarpments and sand dunes in plains and low hills.