Oman have a mean clutch size of 2.83 and brood size of 2.11, with 12% of nests failing at the egg or nesting stage. Migration The falcons migrate from their breeding grounds in Southwest Asia and North Africa to winter in Eastern and South-eastern Africa. The journey takes approximately 13 days and covers a distance of 5500 kilometers. The falcons start their migration during the night but tend to travel only during the day. They stop-over at rest spots along Eastern Africa, spots where there are potential water sources. Conservation It was formerly classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, but has recently been shown to be rarer than formerly believed. Consequently, it was uplisted to Vulnerable status in 2017. It is estimated that their population ranges between 2800 and 4000 individuals and that these numbers are declining. The breeding population of Sooty falcons on the islands of northern Oman is in decline, with human disturbance on accessible islands a likely cause, as falcons breeding close to beaches have lower nesting success than those breeding further away. Hence, mitigating human disturbances and protecting natural habitats is of critical conservation concern to the Sooty Falcon. References External links Sooty falcon - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds. sooty falcon Birds of North Africa Birds of the Horn of Africa Birds of the Middle East Birds of Pakistan Fauna of the Sahara sooty falcon