FalconInteresting facts and information

• The fastest animal - In its hunting dive, the peregrine falcon can reach more than 300 km/h, faster than any other animal.
• Very sharp eyesight - Falcons can see much more detail at a distance than people and spot prey from far away.
• Long migrations - Peregrines that breed in the Arctic may travel more than 10,000 km to spend the winter in South America.
• A special "tooth" - Falcons have a notch on the upper bill, called the tomial tooth, which helps them kill prey with a bite to the neck.
• Catching birds in the air - Many falcons catch other birds in flight, using speed and their strong feet.

• Falcons in the genus Falco are birds of prey with pointed wings and hooked bills. Species differ in size, hunting methods and food. The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is one example; its steep hunting dive is different from level flight.

Falcons are skilled aerial hunters, with bodies built for speed, agility and precise attacks.

Essential physical adaptations

• Long, pointed wings - Built for speed, they let falcons accelerate quickly and make tight turns.
• A strong, hooked bill - With a notch called the "tomial tooth", which helps kill prey quickly.
• Strong feet and sharp talons - Used to strike and hold prey.
• Sharp eyesight - Large eyes with a very high density of light-sensitive cells allow falcons to spot small prey from far away.
• Powerful flight muscles - Give the strong wingbeats needed for fast chases.
• Breathing at high speed - Small bony cones in the nostrils of falcons are thought to help them breathe during fast dives.

Dimensions and variations between species

Falcons usually live alone or in pairs. They are skilled hunters with different hunting techniques depending on the species.

Life Mode

• They are active by day and rely on their sharp eyesight to find prey.
• They are territorial and defend the area around their nest.
• Some species are long-distance migrants, while others stay in the same area all year.
• Many catch prey in the air, while others, such as kestrels, hover and drop onto prey on the ground.

Communication

• Calls - Falcons make loud, harsh calls, especially near the nest.
• Defending territory - They call and chase intruders away from the nest.
• Display flights - In courtship, males perform fast dives and acrobatic flights and bring food to the female.

Defence techniques

• Speed - Falcons can escape most predators with fast flight.
• Attacking intruders - They will boldly attack much larger birds, such as eagles or ravens, near their nest.
• Camouflage - Young falcons and some species have brown, streaked plumage that blends with the landscape.

Falcons live on every continent except Antarctica, in habitats from tundra and deserts to forests and cities.

Population distribution

Habitats

• Cliffs and mountains - Popular nesting sites, giving a good view and protection.
• Grassland and steppe - Good hunting areas with many small birds and rodents.
• Cities - Peregrine falcons nest on tall buildings, bridges and churches and hunt pigeons.
• Deserts and islands - The saker lives in dry steppes and semi-deserts, while Eleonora's falcon nests on Mediterranean islands.

Impact of environmental change

• Pesticides - Chemicals such as DDT caused thin eggshells and led to a dramatic fall in peregrine numbers in the past.
• Habitat loss - The loss of steppes and grassland affects species such as the saker.
• Climate change - Changes in climate can affect prey and migration.
• Illegal capture - Some species, such as the saker, are caught illegally for falconry.

Falcons are carnivores. Their diet depends on the species and habitat: many eat birds, while others eat rodents, insects or reptiles.

What do falcons eat?

Hunting methods

• The stoop - The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) dives from a great height to strike birds in flight.
• Low, fast chases - The saker falcon (Falco cherrug) often hunts ground squirrels and birds by flying low and fast over open land.
• Hovering - Kestrels, such as the American kestrel (Falco sparverius), hover in the air and then drop onto insects and rodents.
• Hunting in the air - Hobbies catch dragonflies and swallows in flight.

Falcons are usually monogamous, and pairs may stay together for many years. In temperate regions, they breed in spring.

Breeding season

• It usually starts in March-April in Europe, depending on the species and climate.
• Males perform display flights and bring food to the females.
• Falcons do not build their own nests: they lay eggs in a scrape on a cliff ledge or building, or use the old nests of other birds.

Nest and chicks

Breeding of chicks

• The eggs are reddish-brown with dark speckles.
• The chicks are covered in white down and depend completely on their parents in the first weeks.
• Before their first flight, they exercise their wings near the nest.
• After leaving the nest, young falcons practise hunting near their parents before becoming independent.

Origin of name

• The English word "falcon" comes from the Late Latin falco, which may be linked to falx, "sickle", perhaps because of the shape of the wings or talons.
• In falconry, the word "falcon" often means a female; the smaller male is called a "tiercel".

Taxonomic Classification

Evolution and fossils

• Fossils of the genus Falco date back several million years.
• Genetic studies show that falcons are more closely related to parrots and songbirds than to eagles, hawks and owls.
• Their similar hooked bills and talons evolved separately from those of eagles and hawks.

Falcons have been admired for thousands of years for their speed and hunting skills, and they are important symbols in many cultures.

• Ancient Egypt - The god Horus was shown as a falcon or as a man with a falcon's head.
• Norse mythology - The goddess Freyja owned a cloak of falcon feathers that allowed the wearer to fly.
• Hungary - The Turul, a mythical bird of prey often shown as a falcon, is an ancient Hungarian symbol.
• Falconry - Hunting with trained falcons has been practised for thousands of years and was recognised by UNESCO as part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2010.
• National symbols - The falcon is the national bird of the United Arab Emirates, and the saker falcon is the national bird of Mongolia.

Many falcon species are stable, but some, such as the saker falcon, are threatened by habitat loss, illegal capture and electrocution on power lines.

Conservation status

Main threats

1. Habitat loss - The loss of grassland and steppe reduces hunting areas.
2. Pesticides - In the mid-20th century, DDT caused thin eggshells and a major decline in peregrine populations.
3. Illegal capture - In some regions, falcons are captured illegally for falconry.
4. Climate change - May affect food supply and migration.
5. Collisions and electrocution - Power lines kill many falcons, especially sakers.

Protection measures

• Banning dangerous pesticides - After DDT was banned, peregrine populations began to recover.
• Nesting boxes and platforms - Used for peregrines in cities and for sakers on power line pylons.
• Release programmes - Captive-bred peregrines were released successfully in North America and Europe.
• Protecting nests - Some nest sites are guarded or closed to visitors during the breeding season.
• Tracking - Rings and GPS tags help scientists study falcon movements.

Literature and film

• "The Maltese Falcon" - Dashiell Hammett's 1930 detective novel, filmed in 1941 with Humphrey Bogart, is about the hunt for a valuable statuette of a falcon.
• Millennium Falcon - The famous spaceship of Han Solo in the "Star Wars" films.
• The Falcon - A Marvel Comics superhero who first appeared in 1969.

Mascots and symbols

• Sport - Teams such as the Atlanta Falcons use the falcon as their mascot.
• Rockets - SpaceX named its Falcon rockets after the Millennium Falcon.
• City wildlife - Webcams on peregrine nests on tall buildings are watched by people around the world.