The gyrfalcon is the largest falcon in the world. It lives in the far north, in the Arctic. It is about 20 to 25 inches long. Its wings spread about four feet from tip to tip.

A female is bigger than a male. A grown female can weigh as much as about 2.1 kilograms (about 4.5 pounds).

A gyrfalcon has long, pointed wings. Its feathers can be white, gray, or almost black.

It often hunts by flying fast and low over the ground.

Gyrfalcons eat mostly other birds. Ptarmigan are the main food. A gyrfalcon eats waterfowl and seabirds. It eats some small mammals, such as ground squirrels and hares.

A gyrfalcon does not build its own nest. It nests on cliffs. Some gyrfalcons use an old nest that another bird, such as a raven, built.

A gyrfalcon usually lays three or four eggs. The eggs take about five weeks to hatch. Adult gyrfalcons bring food to the nest for their young.

Most gyrfalcons stay in the far north all year. They are often found along coasts and rivers.

Words to know

• ptarmigan: a bird
• waterfowl: water birds
• mammals: furry animals
• cliffs: rock walls