Recent research and future research needs of the Fennoscandian Gyrfalcon populations for conservational purposes are reviewed. At present we have a much better knowledge on population size, annual fluctuations in pair numbers and breeding productivity in large study areas than in former decades, because the national monitoring projects have been intensified considerably in northern Finland, Sweden and Norway. Although many aspects of the ecology of the Gyrfalcon are better understood than 10–15 years ago, there remains still serious gaps in our knowledge especially on the viability of the populations, and on the key environmental factors related to the natality, mortality and dispersal of the Gyrfalcons in different parts of northern Fennoscandia. Preliminary re-evaluation of old data sources from the 19th century indicate a probable exaggeration of the decline of the Gyrfalcon´s population in former studies. The article presents also a new integrated project for more intensive monitoring and conservation of the Fennoscandian Gyrfalcon populations.