Falconidae
Шонхорынхон
shonkhorynkhon

General names

This list should be regarded as being 'in beta'. Information is based on dictionaries and other sources. Pronunciation still needs fine-tuning. Comments and corrections welcome.

The Мongolian name for the falcons is Шонхор shonkhor. (At an earlier stage Шонхор shonkhor may have referred to accipitrids, but in modern Mongolian it refers to the falcons).

Some species names are difficult to elucidate, although a comparison with Kazakh reveals some tantalising clues. There have clearly been borrowings between Mongolian and other Central Asian languages. Historically the direction is said to be from Turkic languages into Mongolian.

The name Шонхор shonkhor (classical form singqur) itself is quite similar to the Kazakh name of the Gyrfalcon, Сұңқар suñqar.

Red-footed Falcon: The name Турамтай turamtai, also found in the form Торомтой toromtoi, appears to also refer to a kind of hawk in Mongolian. The word is clearly related to the Kazakh name for the Merlin, Тұрымтай turımtay, which was possibly borrowed from Mongolian.

Common Kestrel: The name Начин nachin refers to a kind of raptor, probably a falcon. Начин шонхор nachin shonkhor is thus partially redundant.

Saker Falcon (Идлэг шонхор idleg shonkhor): The Идлэг idleg (or Итлэг itleg, Идлэг начин idleg nachin, Идлэг шувуу idleg shuvuu) is a kind of raptor, identity unclear. In Classical form it is idelgü. The resemblance to the Kazakh name Ителгі ïtelgi is obvious.

Gyr Falcon: Although the old official name Жадан шонхор jadan shonkhor 'lance falcon' has a discernible (although hard to fathom) meaning, what is interesting is the parallel with the Chinese name 矛隼 máo-sǔn, which also means 'lance falcon'. The similarity suggests a loan translation (calque).

Species names

ABOUT THIS TABLE (Hover cursor to see)

FALCONINAE
SCIENTIFIC & WESTERN		MONGOLIAN		EAST ASIAN			TURKIC
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Former & Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Falco
Falco naumanni	Lesser kestrel Степная пустельга	Зээрд шонхор zeerd shonkhor 'chestnut-coloured falcon'	Зээрд шонхор zeerd shonkhor 'chestnut-coloured falcon'	黄爪隼 huáng-zhuǎ sǔn 'yellow-clawed falcon'	ヒメチョウゲンボウ (姫長元坊) hime chōgenbō 'princess chogenbo'		Дала күйкентайы dala küykentayı	Küçük Kerkenez 'small kestrel'
Falco tinnunculus	Common kestrel Eurasian kestrel Kestrel Обыкновенная пустельга	Начин шонхор nachin shonkhor 'falcon falcon' (nachin also means 'falcon')	Начин шонхор nachin shonkhor 'falcon falcon' (nachin also means 'falcon')	红隼 hóng sǔn 'red falcon'	チョウゲンボウ (長元坊) chōgenbō 'chogenbo'	황조롱이 hwang-jorongi 'yellow sparrowhawk'	Кәдімгі күйкентай kädimgi küykentay	Kerkenez 'kestrel'
Falco vespertinus	Red-footed falcon Western red-footed falcon Кобчик	Турамтай шонхор turamtai shonkhor 'turamtai falcon'	Турамтай шонхор turamtai shonkhor 'turamtai falcon'	西红脚隼 xī hóng-jiǎo sǔn 'western red-footed falcon' (2, 4) 红脚隼 hóng-jiǎo sǔn 'red-footed falcon' (3) Note	ニシアカアシチョウゲンボウ (西赤足長元坊) nishi aka-ashi chōgenbō 'western red-legged chogenbo'		Бөктергі böktergi	Ala Doğan 'area ? falcon'
Falco amurensis	Amur falcon Eastern red-footed falcon Manchurian red-footed falcon Red-legged falcon Амурский кобчик	Амарын шонхор amarуn shonkhor 'quiet (?) falcon'	Амарын турамтай шонхор amarуn turamtai shonkhor 'quiet (?) turamtai falcon'	红脚隼 hóng-jiǎo sǔn 'red-footed falcon' (1, 2, 4, 5) 阿穆尔隼 Āmū'ěr sǔn 'Amur falcon' (3) Note	アカアシチョウゲンボウ (赤足長元坊) aka-ashi chōgenbō 'red-legged chogenbo'	비둘기조롱이 bidulgi-jorongi 'pigeon sparrowhawk'
Falco columbarius	Merlin Дербник	Хайргууна шонхор khairguunn shonkhor 'khairguun' falcon'	Хайргууна шонхор khairguunn shonkhor 'khairguun' falcon'	灰背隼 huī-bèi sǔn 'grey-backed falcon'	コチョウゲンボウ (小長元坊) ko chōgenbō 'small chogenbo'	쇠황조롱이 soe-hwang-jorongi 'small yellow sparrowhawk'	Тұрымтай turımtay	Boz Doğan 'grey/dun falcon'
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Former & Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish
Falco subbuteo	Eurasian hobby Northern hobby Hobby Чеглок, Обыкновенный чеглок	Шууман шонхор shuuman shonkhor 'shuuman falcon'	Шууман шонхор shuuman shonkhor 'shuuman falcon'	燕隼 yàn-sǔn 'swallow falcon'	チゴハヤブサ (稚児隼) chigo hayabusa 'child falcon'	새홀리기 saeholligi 'saeholligi'	Жағалтай jağaltay	Delice Doğan 'crazy? falcon'
Falco cherrug	Saker falcon Балобан, Обыкновенный балобан	Идлэг шонхор idleg shonkhor 'hawk falcon' (idleg refers to a kind of hawk, identity unclear)	Идлэг шонхор idleg shonkhor 'hawk falcon' (idleg refers to a kind of hawk, identity unclear)	猎隼 liè-sǔn 'hunting falcon'	セーカーハヤブサ (セーカー隼) sēkā hayabusa 'saker falcon'	헨다손매 hendason-mae 'Henderson (?) hawk'	Ителгі ïtelgi	Ulu Doğan 'large falcon'
Falco rusticolus Falco gyrfalco	Gyr falcon Кречет	Цагаан шонхор tsagaan shonkhor 'white falcon'	Жадан шонхор jadan shonkhor 'lance falcon'	矛隼 máo-sǔn 'lance falcon'	シロハヤブサ (白隼) shiro hayabusa 'white falcon'		Ақ сұңқар aq suñqar
Falco peregrinus	Peregrine falcon Сапсан	Эгэл шонхор egel shonkhor 'common falcon'	Эгэл шонхор egel shonkhor 'common falcon'	游隼 yóu sǔn 'roaming falcon'	ハヤブサ (隼) hayabusa 'falcon'	매 mae 'hawk'	Лашын laşın	Gök Doğan 'sky falcon'
Falco pelegrinoides	Barbary falcon Шахин, Рыжеголовый сокол	Шилийн шонхор shilin shonkhor 'hill falcon'		拟游隼 nǐ yóu sǔn 'pseudo roaming falcon' (2, 4, 5) Note	バーバリーハヤブサ (バーバリー隼) bābarii hayabusa 'Barbary falcon'		Бидайық bïdayıq
Latin	English/Russian	Mongolian	Former & Other M	Chinese	Japanese	Korean	Kazakh	Turkish

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