noun
or ger·falcon also jer·falcon ˈjər+ˌ-
Etymology: Middle English gerfaucun, from Middle French girfaucon, gerfaut, from Old French, probably from Old Norse geirfalki, from geirr spear + falki falcon (probably from Middle Dutch valke, valc ); akin to Old High German falcho falcon — more at gore (piece of land), falcon
: any of various large falcons of the arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and America that commonly constitute a subgenus ( Hierofalco ) of the genus Falco and are about two feet long and more powerful though less active than the peregrine falcon — see black gyrfalcon , white gyrfalcon
[s]gyrfalco.jpg[/s]