25 September β 24 December
the coastal calendar, shifted 24 days later for this region
Cliffs and quarry walls inland and on the coast; the tumbling display flight is unmistakable.
The earliest breeder on this page β eggs in February, in snow on Velebit β because the young are timed to the lambing and winter-kill carrion peak. Pairs hold the same cliff for decades.
photos, sightings and recordings, off this site
where this species is on the list
| Phase | When | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| courting | 25 December β 12 February | 50 days | Song, display, fighting, scent-marking β pairs forming or reaffirming. |
| building | 13 February β 15 March | 31 days | Nest, burrow or den under construction, or being lined out. |
| on eggs | 16 March β 7 April | 23 days | Clutch laid and being incubated, or buried and left to the sun. |
| raising young | 8 April β 24 May | 47 days | Dependent young in the nest, den or burrow, being fed. |
| young have left | 25 May β 7 August | 75 days | Young out of the nest or den, but still fed and followed by the adults. |
| young dispersing | 8 August β 24 September | 48 days | Young leaving for good, looking for a territory of their own. |
| moulting | 25 September β 24 December | 91 days | Feathers or coat replaced. Many birds go quiet and hide while it happens. |