52 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 76 



nests and a territorial adult were found there in 1982 (Mindell 1983), and 

 one nest was found there in 1987 and 1988 (B. J. McCaffery and R. D. 

 Ernest, unpublished). White and Boyce (1978) found one pair in 20 km 

 of the Fog River in 1977 and thought gyrfalcons nested there and at the 

 Eek River. M. J. Fry (unpublished) saw birds in summer at Kagati Lake. 

 Bull (in Bent 1938) found birds nesting at 14 sites over several years near 

 Goodnews Bay in an area of unspecified size, and D. Roseneau (personal 

 communication) found 6 active nests near Goodnews Bay. We found an 

 active nest near the Arolik River in 1974 and 1980. J. G. King (unpub- 

 lished) found one gyrfalcon at Cape Peirce on 6 July 1964. We saw a pair 

 there each year in 1973 and 1976. Gyrfalcons were also seen there on 5 

 June and 1 6 July 1984 (D. R. Herter et al., personal communication). A 

 few birds migrated past Cape Peirce in spring 1973 (single birds on 3 days 

 between 30 April and 10 May) and many passed through in fall 1973 (1-4 

 birds per day on 22 days between 18 August and 24 September, and 

 several were seen by D. R. Herter and D. Lloyd (personal communication) 

 in fall 1981. We saw a family group of three near Security Cove on 23 

 September 1973- 



Gyrfalcons foraged mainly at edges of subalpine shrub and dwarf 

 shrub mat. Thirty nests were found on sea cliffs (5), near the coast on a 

 riparian cliff (1), inland on riparian banks, cliffs, and canyons (13), and 

 inland on hillside rock outcrops (11) above or north of timberline 

 45-565 m asl and possibly to 63O m asl. More than 80% of the gyrfalcon 

 nests were in old stick nests built by other raptors or common ravens 

 (Corvus corax). Spacing between nests at the Kisaralik River averaged 

 10.0 km (range, 4.3-14.7 km) in 1982 (MindeU 1983). 



Clutches collected from the Goodnews area by Bull (in Bent 1938) 

 in 1932-34 averaged 3 5 eggs per nest (A'^= 8; range, 2-4). Eight pairs 

 fledged 2.6 young per pair (range, 2-3) near the Tuluksak and Kisaralik 

 rivers. Brood sizes averaged 2.9 young per nest (A^= 13 nests) on our 

 study area and adjacent areas (Mindell 1983), and nests along the Kisaralik 

 River contained 2, 2, and 3 young in 1977 (White and Boyce 1978) and 

 4 young on I6 June 1987 (B. J. McCaffery, personal communication). 

 Broken eggs were found in one nest in 1962 (Tuluksak River), and local 

 hunters destroyed the eggs in one nest (Goodnews area). In 1934, Bull 

 (in Bent 1938) found full clutches at Goodnews as early as 22 April. One 

 pair at the Tuluksak River had eggs hatch on 28 May and young fledge on 

 14 July 1974. Young from three nests at the Tuluksak River fledged each 

 season-about 9July 1962, I6 July 1978 and 22 July 1987. Three broods 

 at the Kisaralik River fledged from 4 to 19 July 1978. 



Food items from gyrfalcon nests at the Tuluksak and Kisaralik rivers 

 included 20 ptarmigans, 13 arctic ground squirrels, 2 ducks (including 1 

 green-winged teal), 2 American robins, 1 snowshoe hare, 1 spruce 

 grouse, 1 surfbird (Aphriza virgata), and 1 belted kingfisher (Ceryle 



