Taita falcon

The Taita falcon is a small, rare raptor species. The biology and ecology of this falcon is not well-understood. It is robust, long winged with a short tail, and is adept at aerial hunting. This falcon bears some resemblance to the African hobby, with which it is often confused; however, the white throat and rufous patches on the nape offer a unique characteristic for identification. The wingspan of the males is , and that of females is . Males weigh and the females . The plumage of the males is more brightly coloured than the females. ==Abundance, Distribution and Habitat==

The Taita falcon is globally listed as Vulnerable (VU). The Taita falcon has a wide – yet fragmented distribution – from northern South Africa by the Mpumalanga/Limpopo Escarpment, up to Southern Ethiopia, which caps the northern extremity of this falcon's distribution in Africa. These typically cliff-dwelling falcons are closely associated with highlands and mountainous terrain, in areas of low rainfall. Small, isolated localities support a few breeding pairs where the habitat is suitable. ==Breeding and Nesting Behaviour==

Breeding success is temporally and spatially variable (Jenkins et al., 2019). The Taita falcon typically nests in cliff holes, protected from direct sunlight (Hartley et al., 1993). Some falcons in Malawi and Zambia have also been found nesting on small granite inselbergs. In the Zimbabwean falcon populations, breeding is predicted to start after July and end around October. Incubation of the eggs is predicted to occur from late August to early September. However, there seems to be variation in breeding season among populations in different locations, where East African pairs are seen to start breeding around April to September. The nest is situated on bare rock and the clutch size is two to four eggs. The incubation period is 31–33 days, and the chicks fledge after approximately 42 days. Taita Falcons are very secretive about the positions of the nests and will readily – and viciously – attack other animals that pose as a threat, such as trumpeter hornbills. The breeding success of the Taita falcon is not well-understood. == Hunting Behaviour and Diet ==

The Taita falcon is a small, fast-flying raptor that catches its prey in the air. This falcon is active mostly from dawn till mid-morning and then again in the mid to late afternoon. It has very small wings relative to its robust build; therefore, this falcon can reach high speeds for hunting. However, owing to its build, flapping flight is costly. Cliffs are predicted to be a suitable habitat for this species. They provide protection of their eggs because of their inaccessibility, Taita falcons can utilize the orographic lift that is associated with cliffs to reduce flight costs, and they provide naturally good vantage points for hunting prey. Taita falcons are typically hunting small birds mostly caught in habitats close to the nest, such as red-billed queleas, swifts, hirundines and green-spotted doves. These falcons have been observed to use several different hunting methods, such as speculative hunting – quartering from a cliff top – and stooping from high position to directly pursue prey. They have even been observed as cooperative hunters in Zimbabwe. == Threats to Conservation ==

The Batoka Gorge along the Zambezi River by Victoria Falls was historically the core for Taita falcon distribution, where six breeding pairs were identified during surveys in the 1990s. ==References==