The sooty falcon is a migratory, medium-sized falcon that breeds in the Middle East and north-eastern Africa and winters along the south-eastern coast of Africa and on Madagascar. In the last 10 years, published estimates of the population size have been revised downward, apparently as a result of a poor initial estimation, unwarranted changes (upward) of the population estimate, and a more critically tallied number of known breeding pairs. As a result, where some estimates of the breeding population were as high as 40,000 pairs in the early1990’s, estimates later in that decade were as low as 1,000 pairs. This revision and recently published information on occupancy rates (see below) have contributed to the recent downgrading of the sooty falcon’s conservation status by BirdLife International to “Near- threatened”.
The first systematic survey of any breeding population of the sooty falcon was conducted in 1978 in Oman (Walter 1979), and since then the Daymaniyat Islands, Fahal Islands and the Suwaydi Islands have been considered strongholds for the species. Because of this early work, Oman is well placed to provide early baseline data on long-term dynamics of the sooty falcon, and its ecology. Most certainly Oman holds the largest number of breeding pairs in the Arabian Sea basin.
 We conducted a two-year survey of the sooty falcon population on the Daymaniyat Islands, Suwaydi Islands and Fahal Island in Oman. The survey established the distribution of the falcon across the islands, located and marked nest sites and collected data on reproductive success and diet. 15 adults and 143 chicks were ringed with numbered and micro-chipped rings. Blood, feathers and unhatched eggs were collected for DNA and contaminant analyses, and a collection was made of prey remains. The number of occupied sites that we encountered suggest about a 15% decline in the Omani population since 1978, and that the main cause of this decline is probably human disturbance.
We are aiming to extend our work in Oman in 2009, including a baseline survey of the Musandam Peninsula, which could hold some pairs. We are establishing a network with researchers in other countries, and it is hoped that surveys will be conducted in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the coming year. Recent information from the Emirates and Bahrain suggest that the breeding populations there have declined, too (Kavanaugh and King 2008, Shah et al 2008). In addition to the studies being conducted at the breeding sites, a single adult sooty falcon was fitted with a satellite-received radio transmitter in Abu Dhabi, and was followed to its wintering grounds in Madagascar. This may pave the way for a larger effort with a broader geographical reach.
It is important to note that under the Convention on Migratory Species a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to promote conservation of migratory raptors between Eurasia and Africa. The sooty falcon is one of the few migratory raptors than breed in the region, most others either only winter there, are resident or pass through. As such, we hope the sooty falcon will be a focus for conservation efforts and carry the banner for the conservation of raptors in general
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This work was supported by Petroleum Development Oman, The Office of the Adviser for Conservation of the Environment (Diwan of Royal Court), Royal Court Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs (MECA), the Environment Society of Oman and the Royal Oman Police. We are currently seeking the support necessary to extend this work.
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Click below to access a pdf of our report from 2007. Contact us (mike.mcgrady@natural-research.org) for our report that spans the two years of our study, which includes a summary in Arabic.
 McGrady, M.J., Nicoll, M.A.C. and Williams, N.P. 2008. A study of the status and distribution of
breeding sooty falcons (Falco concolor) on the northern islands of Oman –
2007 and 2008. Natural Research Ltd and Centre for Agri-Environmental
Research, Reading University. Unpublished Report.
For further information, please contact mike.mcgrady@natural-research.org
Photos copyright M. McGrady: Top: Sultan Qaboos University student with adult sooty falcon; Middle:Sooty falcon chick with microchip and numerical rings; Bottom: Omani team members processing falcon chicks.
Literature cited
Shah, J.N., Khan, S.B., Ahmed, S., Javed, S. & Hammadi, A. (2008) Sooty Falcon in the United Arab Emirates. Falco 32: 16-19.
Kavanaugh, B. and King, H. (2008) Observations from 1998-2006 on the breeding population of sooty falcons Falco concolor on the Hawar Islands, Kingdom of Bahrain. Sandgrouse 30(1):70-76.
Walter, H. (1979) The sooty falcon (Falco concolor) in Oman: results of a breeding survey. Journal of Oman Studies 5: 9-59.
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