It is difficult to say which is stronger. There are some big differences in the way they look, fly, hunt, and nest, which can help in telling the difference between the two. Frequently Asked Questions Is a hawk a falcon?Īlthough hawks and falcons are both birds of prey, they are definitely not the same.
Hawks nests can be pretty large in size, often being deeper than they are wide. Their nests are usually circular in shape and built from large twigs and then lined with a softer material. Hawks, on the other hand, are pretty good nest builders. Some species, however, don’t even bother with a nest at all, choosing to lay their eggs on bare rock on a cliff ledge for example, or in a hole in a tree. If they can, they prefer to use nests built by other birds, rather than building their own. Falcon Vs Hawk: Nestingįalcons, unlike hawks, are very lazy when it comes to nest building. Like fighter jets, this wing shape is perfect for high-speed flight in the open air. Hawks like the Sharp-shinned Hawk have rounded, short wings which help them when flying through tight spaces as they hunt birds through forested areas.įalcons tend to have narrower wings that are more sharply pointed, without ‘fingertips’. In most hawks, the ends of the wings have prominent finger-like primary feathers. Hawks tend to have broader wings than falcons, which are better for soaring. This helps falcons kill their prey more easily. The beaks of falcons differ from those of hawks in that they have a tooth or notch in the upper mandible. If you ever get close enough to notice, another difference between a hawk and a falcon is their beaks. The smallest American falcon is the American Kestrel and the largest American Falcon is the Gyrfalcon The smallest American Hawk is the Sharp-shinned Hawk and the largest American hawk is the Ferruginous Hawk Let’s take a quick look at the figures on American falcons and hawks to see how they compare in size: Hawks This makes it difficult to say who is bigger, but you would have to say though that on average anyway, hawks are the larger birds. In the United States alone, you can find at least 5 species of falcons, and 15 different types of hawks. Hawks and falcons come in quite a few different shapes and sizes because there are many different species of each. Hawk vs falcon identification can be pretty tricky for the beginner, but there are a few important differences that should help you put a name to the different species. The various hawks have all sorts of different hunting techniques though, so when it comes to tactics, they are probably the more versatile of the two groups of hunters. Many hawks use more of an ambush-style approach, often dropping down onto their prey with stealth and surprising them. Hawks on the other hand tend to spend a lot of time circling and soaring the skies. Although falcons are some of the most gifted birds in the world when it comes to flying, they tend to spend a whole lot of time perched. Most falcons, especially the faster ones, hunt birds in the air, often using sheer speed to out-fly their prey. The reason for the difference in speed between the two groups is their prey and their hunting technique. This also makes these birds the fastest-moving animal on the planet. Falcons are the fastest birds in the animal kingdom, and one species, the Peregrine Falcon, takes first prize with recorded speeds of over 200 miles per hour.
While hawks are not slow by any means, falcons take this one easily. They are able to spend a lot of time in the air soaring and looking for their prey without flapping their wings at all. Hawks, with their broad wings and long, prominent primary feathers tend to flap their wings a lot less. In fact, when falcons stop flapping their wings they often begin to fall. This is because the surface area of their wings is pretty small, which is great for flying fast, but not ideal for soaring. Apart from the differences in wing shape, the way they fly and flap their wings also differs.įalcons usually fly in a pretty straight line, moving quickly with constant flaps of the wings. When seen in flight, it’s usually pretty easy to tell the difference between hawks and falcons if you know what to look for. Falcons, on the other hand, are part of the Falconiformes order and the Falconidae family.įurthermore, all falcons are part of the Falco genus, while there are quite a few different hawk genera, including Accipiter, Buteo, and others. While both groups of birds fall under the class of Aves, hawks are members of the Accipitriformes order and the Accipitridae family. This is because falcons and hawks actually have two very different family trees. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.Īlthough they may look pretty similar to the untrained eye, these birds are actually not all that closely related to each other.
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