Falcons have thin, pointed wings, which allow them to dive at extremely high speeds. (Peregrine Falcons are claimed to have reached speeds of up to 200 mph.)
Other falcons include the Gyrfalcon[?] (image above), Lanner Falcon[?] (image below) and the Merlin. Some small falcons with long, narrow wings are often called hobbies.
The technique of hunting with birds of prey is known as falconry.
The falcons are part of the order Falconiformes, which also includes the caracaras[?], Laughing Falcon, forest-falcons[?], and falconets[?].
The Falconiformes is sometimes enlarged to include all diurnal birds of prey except the New World vultures.
Species list
- Lesser Kestrel[?] , Falco naumanni
- Common Kestrel , Falco tinnunculus
- Madagascar Kestrel , Falco newtoni
- Mauritius Kestrel , Falco punctatus
- Seychelles Kestrel , Falco araea
- Spotted Kestrel , Falco moluccensis
- Australian Kestrel , Falco cenchroides
- American Kestrel[?] , Falco sparverius
- Greater Kestrel , Falco rupicoloides
- Fox Kestrel , Falco alopex
- Grey Kestrel , Falco ardosiaceus
- Dickinson's Kestrel , Falco dickinsoni
- Banded Kestrel , Falco zoniventris
- Red-necked Falcon , Falco chicquera
- Red-footed Falcon[?] , Falco vespertinus
- Amur Falcon , Falco amurensis
- Eleonora's Falcon[?] , Falco eleonorae
- Sooty Falcon , Falco concolor
- Aplomado Falcon , Falco femoralis
- Merlin , Falco columbarius
- Bat Falcon , Falco rufigularis
- Orange-breasted Falcon , Falco deiroleucus
- Eurasian Hobby , Falco subbuteo
- African Hobby , Falco cuvierii
- Oriental Hobby , Falco severus
- Australian Hobby , Falco longipennis
- New Zealand Falcon , Falco novaeseelandiae
- Brown Falcon , Falco berigora
- Grey Falcon , Falco hypoleucos
- Black Falcon , Falco subniger
- Lanner Falcon[?] , Falco biarmicus
- Laggar Falcon , Falco jugger
- Saker Falcon , Falco cherrug
- Gyrfalcon[?] , Falco rusticolus
- Prairie Falcon[?] , Falco mexicanus
- Peregrine Falcon , Falco peregrinus
- Taita Falcon , Falco fasciinucha
There is also a make of car produced by Ford known as the 'Falcon', and a fighter aircraft called the F-16 Fighting Falcon.