Abstract
The National Avian Research Center’s Saker Falcon Conservation Program is mainly concerned with the captive breeding and monitoring of the Saker Falcon (Falco cherrug), but also carries out breeding and research on other species, including the Peregrine (F. peregrinus), Gyr (F. rusticolus), Gyr/Saker and Gyr/Peregrine hybrid falcons. For studies on wild birds and for the early imprinting of captive birds for artificial insemination techniques, the ability to accurately identify their sex would be of great value. Although adult falcons can be sexed through reversed size dimorphism, chicks and juveniles prove more difficult. Therefore, a previously described PCR technique was applied employing two primers (P2 and P3) followed by site-specific restriction digestion to sex the Saker, Peregrine, Gyr and Gyr/Saker hybrid falcons. Using these methods, distinctive patterns are apparent for males and females making it possible to accurately identify their sex.
Published Version
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