Merlin: Red Data Book of Armenia

Falcons and caracaras – Falconidae

Status. A rare, threatened and poorly studied species of limited distribution. In Armenia, it is a casual migrant and wintering species. Listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 3.1) as Least Concern. According to IUCN criteria categorized as Data Deficient DD.

Distribution. The subspecies is distributed from Northern Europe eastwards to Central Siberia.

Distribution in Armenia. A casual migrant and wintering species in the vicinities of Yerevan and the Hrazdan district.

Habitats. Predominantly, open semi–deserts with groups of trees, often with scrublands in the riversides. Habitats are significantly destroyed because of their agricultural use.

Biological traits. Does not nestle in the country. Lays 2–5 eggs once a year. Preys mainly on birds. Information about captive breeding is not available.

Population size and its trends. Available information is not sufficient to judge about the population size, but the encounters are regular.

Major threats. Adverse factors are poorly studied, but the possible threats are poaching and bird sales for the falconry market in the Middle East associated with fledgling removal and adult captures.

Conservation measures. It is essential to estimate population size in wintering sites, study the impact of human factors on the population with further implications for conservation, raise public awareness and to increase the rates of fines for poaching.