Lanner Falcon &
Red-Headed Agama (1994)
Acrylic on
illustration board
8" x 10"
| Probably
because of its long association with falconry, I always think
of the lanner falcon (Falco biarmicus) as a bird of Europe
and the Middle East, but it really doesn't even occur much there
any more, and its range is definitely centered in Africa. About
the size of a peregrine, but with a slimmer build, it is more
inclined to take terrestrial prey than is that bird-catching
specialist. In the Sahel, where they are by far the most common
large falcon, lizards make up an important dietary component,
and this male red-headed agama (Agama agama), temporarily
in full breeding colors, is a typical menu item. |
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