Red-naped shaheen

The red-naped shaheen (Falco peregrinus babylonicus) is a non-migratory subspecies of the peregrine falcon, which is the fastest animal on Earth. The subspecies is distributed from Mongolia, Kazakhstan to India and Iran.^[2]

Red-naped shaheen
CITES Appendix I [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes
Family:	Falconidae
Genus:	Falco
Species:	F. peregrinus
Subspecies:	F. p. babylonicus
Trinomial name
Falco peregrinus babylonicus P.L. Sclater, 1861
The 9th item on the list of peregrine falcon subspecies

Description

Adults are paler than other subspecies of peregrine falcon. They show a grayish blue color on their back. forehead and nape are rufous and crown is more dark. Their narrow moustashes have the same color like their crown with rufous halo on edges. In comparison with other subspecies, babylonicus has less spots on chest, abdomen and thighs with creamy background. After multiple moults the chest will be clear and a few V-shape spots remain on thighs and flanks. Tail has the same color like back with darker barrings

Juveniles have brown back and crown with paler and rufous-buff forehead. Their moustaches are dark brown with rufous-buff edges. Their chest and thighs are streaked and have vertical barrs with cream background. Their tail is brown with darker barrings.^[3]

Flight feathers are longer in juveniles and after the first moulting they grow in the same size of adults. And after each moulting their lateral tail feathers grow lesser than the past year.^[4]

Etymology

Linguists^[5] said that the Persian word شاهین (shaheen) is derived from the older world سئن (sa'en), meaning "big bird of prey".

Gallery

A male red-naped shaheen by its nest in Kerman, Kerman province, Iran

Female red-naped shaheen flying above its nest in Kerman

Red-naped chicks waiting for food in Kerman

A chick exercising around its nest preparing to fly in Kerman

Waiting while their mother left the nest for having a meal nearby in Kerman

Male red-naped shaheen preening and showing tail feathers in Kerman