Gyrfalcon

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Gyrfalcon \Gyr"fal`con\ (j[~e]r"f[add]`k'n), n. [OE. gerfaucon,
     OF. gerfaucon, LL. gyrofalco, perh. fr. L. gyrus circle +
     falco falcon, and named from its circling flight; or cf. E.
     gier-eagle. See {Gyre}, n., {Falcon}.] (Zool.)
     One of several species and varieties of large Arctic falcons,
     esp. {Falco rusticolus} and the white species {Falco


     Islandicus}, both of which are circumpolar. The black and the
     gray are varieties of the former. See Illust. of {Accipiter}.
     [Written also {gerfalcon}, {gierfalcon}, and {jerfalcon}.]
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  gyrfalcon
       n : large and rare arctic falcon having white and dark color
           phases [syn: {gerfalcon}, {Falco rusticolus}]