The Queen's Falcon

“One of the most frequent trips for tourist or sports boats is the one that covers the distance between the port of Palma de Mallorca and the bay of the island of Cabrera. It passes in front of the cliffs of Cabo Blanco and it is not difficult for navigators, with few hobbies they have for nature, to contemplate the birds that fly above the trees of their ships. These birds are generally seabirds, as well known as seagulls, but sometimes the fan of ornithology can find one of the most beautiful and striking falconids. I am referring, dear friends, to a falcon that can be black and that bears the name of an ancient Sardinian princess, Eleonor's Falcon”.

Felix Rodriguez De La Fuente

After this introduction to Man and the Earth (Cabrera, Island Paradise II), we also began to explain this unique species of bird of prey mentioned above. We all know the incredible Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) famous for being the fastest animal in the world, with dive flights of up to 380 km/h. However, there is another lesser-known species of falcon in Spain that doesn't stand out as much for its speed, although that doesn't mean that it's also a very fast and amazing bird of prey. We are talking about the above-mentioned falcon by Eleonor or Eleonora (Falco Eleonorae).

This species is similar to its relative the Peregrine Falcon, but it is characterized by its more slender appearance, with wings and long tail that provide it with a perfect design to take advantage of rising sea air currents. It can also have two main plumage designs called morphs, in which we would have a light morph (where most of the population would enter with 70% of the individuals) and a dark morph (with the remaining 30%), as well as other intermediates as a result of the crossing of these more frequent morphs.

The breeding habitats of this species stand out considerably from other European raptors, being located on small islands with cliffs, where a simple cavity or platform in the rock provides the ideal place to breed. It is this habitat preference that gave them the name “winged pirates”, given by Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente in his filming of this falcon on the island of Cabrera. Among these breeding destinations, we can find the Balearic and Canary Islands archipelagos (especially to the north of the island of Lanzarote and the Chinijo archipelago), Sardinia, the coasts of Morocco, Cyprus, Sicily, and other islands and coasts along the Mediterranean. In addition, this reproductive period is one of the latest among our birds, beginning at the end of summer (between the month of July and September). What could be the reason for this delay in keeping your chickens? Well, the beginning of the autumnal migration of small birds. Although most of the year they feed on insects (dragonflies, beetles, butterflies, grasshoppers, etc.), it is during the breeding season that these migratory birds gain a great weight both in their diet and in that of their progeny. Here we find everything from swift swifts to a wide variety of whales (such as larks), warblers, mosquito nets, turdists (such as nightingales) and shrikes. Their migratory journey makes them easy and abundant prey when they stop to rest in coastal areas.

In any case, one of the most curious and remarkable behaviors of this falcon is its extraordinary migration of its own. In mid-October and early November, this species makes a long journey of more than 9500 km, from its breeding areas to those of wintering on the remote island of Madagascar and coasts in southeastern Africa (some even spend the winter on the islands of Reunion and Mauritius). It was possible to verify, through copies marked with transmitters, that these routes to Madagascar cross the African continent directly instead of following a coastal route, crossing directly above the vast Sahara desert. When they reach the Mozambique Channel, they relentlessly cross the 400-600 km of ocean that separates the continent from the island of Madagascar, a long stretch without stops that demonstrates the incredible flying ability that our protagonist can present. The return to their breeding grounds takes place between April and June.

Eleanora de Arborea

Eleonora's falcon owes its name to Eleonora de Arborea (1383-1404), a pioneering woman in many ways whom we want to make visible on a day like today.

Eleonora not only served as Judge of Arborea, one of the four provinces into which Sardinia was divided during the Middle Ages, but during her reign she led the military campaign against the Crown of Aragon for the independence of Sardinia.

It was also during his term of office that the Logu Charter was enacted, a legal document that compiles laws in various fields, such as civil and criminal law, and which remained in force until the unification of Italy in 1861. In fact, it is considered one of the first examples of constitution in European history; in addition to being tremendously innovative in introducing, among other measures, protection of women's rights and properties.

Eleonora, a fan of ornithology, included in the Logu Charter several rules for the protection and conservation of falcons. For this reason, she is considered to be one of the pioneers in the fight for the protection of the environment.

Bibliography
López-López, P., Limiñana, R., & Urios, V. (2009). Autumn migration of Eleonora's falcon Falco Eleonorae tracked by satellite telemetry.
https://seo.org/ave/halcon-de-eleonora/
Ollé, A. & Trabalon, F. (2019). European birds of prey. Omega Editions.
http://virtualarchaeology.sardegnacultura.it/index.php/es/yacimientos-arqueologicos/eta-medievale/monreale/fichas-detalladas/880-eleonora-d-arborea
https://hmong.es/wiki/Carta_de_Logu