An “arctic” Peregrine as a long-term winter visitor in Austria

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Abstract
A female „arctic“ or „nordic“ Peregrine Falcon / Wanderfalke (calidus-type) spent 15 winters, between October 2009 and March 2024, in the historic old town of Graz, Austria. It showed pronounced site-fidelity, using the same high buildings as vantage points. Its earliest arrival was September 29th, the latest date it was seen was April 13th. Details on the identification on population and individual level are given and illustrated with photos. The entire primary moult was performed on the wintering grounds and not finished before late March. This served as the key feature to assign the bird to an arctic origin, probably from the breeding range of the subspecies calidus. The occurrence of this subspecies, especially of adults, in Austria (and central Europe), may be underestimated, due to the difficult identification and impossibility to assign „arctic“ Peregrines to a certain subspecies respectively.

Calidus-type Peregrine Falcon that wintered in Graz, Austria between 2009 and 2024.