Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey and includes caracaras, laughing falcon, forest falcons, falconets, pygmy falcons, falcons and kestrels. They are small to medium-sized birds of prey, ranging in size from the black-thighed falconet, which can weigh as little as , to the gyrfalcon, which can weigh as much as . They have strongly hooked bills, sharply curved talons and excellent eyesight. The plumage is usually composed of browns, whites, chestnut, black and grey, often with barring of patterning. There is little difference in the plumage of males and females, although a few species have some sexual dimorphism in boldness of plumage. They differ from other Falconiformes in killing with their beaks instead of their talons. They have a "tooth" on the side of their beak for the purpose.
They are classified in eleven genera and 67 species of which two are extinct.
Conventions
Conservation statuses listed for each species follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The symbol indicates that the species's population trend is positive, the symbol indicates that the species's population trend is negative, the symbol indicates that the species's population is stable, and the symbol indicates that the species's population trend is unknown. Population trends are based on the Red List of Threatened Species. The super-scripted "IUCN" tag is a link to that species's Red List of Threatened Species page. If a species has taxonomic synonyms, a list of these is provided in the "Scientific name" column, underneath the binomial name and author. If a species has subspecies, a list of these is provided in the "Common name" column, underneath the common name.
Classification Family: Falconidae Subfamily Polyborinae Genus Daptrius – black caracara Genus Ibycter – red-throated caracara (sometimes included in Daptrius) Genus Phalcoboenus (4 species) – Andean and southern South American caracaras Genus Caracara – crested caracaras (2 living species, 1 extinct) Genus Milvago – brown caracaras (2 species) Genus Micrastur – forest falcons (7 species) Subfamily Falconinae Genus Herpetotheres – laughing falcon Genus Spiziapteryx – spot-winged falconet Genus Polihierax – pygmy falcons (2 species, includes Neohierax) Genus Microhierax – typical falconets (5 species) Genus Falco – true falcons, hobbies and kestrels (around 37 species)
Following list of Falconidae is based on International Ornithological Congress' World Bird List.
Subfamily Polyborinae Traditionally, subfamily Polyborinae comprises caracaras and forest falcons which are principally birds of South and Central America. They are classified in six genera and 18 species of which one is extinct since 1906. Unlike the Falco falcons in the same family, caracaras in the five relevant genera are not fast-flying aerial hunters, but are comparatively slow and are often scavengers (a notable exception being the red-throated caracara).
Genus Daptrius Genus Daptrius Vieillot, 1816 – 1 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureBlack caracaraD. ater Vieillot, 1816South America:Amazonia
Genus Ibycter Genus Ibycter Vieillot, 1816 – 1 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureRed-throated caracaraI. americanus (Boddaert, 1783)Central & South America :Southern Mexico to southern Brazil
Genus Phalcoboenus Genus Phalcoboenus d'Orbigny, 1834 - 4 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureCarunculated caracaraP. carunculatusDes Murs, 1853South America:Ecuador, southwest ColombiaMountain caracaraP. megalopterus(Meyen, 1834)South America:Peru to central ChileWhite-throated caracaraP. albogularis(Gould, 1837)South America:Southern Chile, southern ArgentinaStriated caracaraP. australis(Gmelin, 1788)South America:Southern islands
Genus Caracara Genus Caracara Merrem, 1826 - 3 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureGuadalupe caracara(Mourning caracara)C. lutosa†(Ridgway, 1876)Guadalupe Island, MexicoExtinct probably since 1906Crested caracara(Carancho)(Carcará)C. plancus(Miller, 1777)
Genus Milvago Genus Milvago Spix, 1824 - 2 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureYellow-headed caracaraM. chimachima(Vieillot, 1816)Central & South America:Costa Rica to northern ArgentinaChimango caracaraM. chimango(Vieillot, 1816)South America :Southern Cone
Genus Micrastur Forest falcons are endemic to the Americas. They are classified as 7 species in one genus. They are adapted for agility in thick cover rather than outright speed in the open air. They have short wings, long tails, and extraordinarily acute hearing. While generally visually inconspicuous, their songs are commonly heard.
Genus Micrastur G.R. Gray, 1841 - 7 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureBarred forest falconM. ruficollis(Vieillot, 1817)Central & South America:Southern Mexico to northern ArgentinaPlumbeous forest falconM. plumbeusW.L. Sclater, 1918Central & South America:Southwestern Colombia, northwestern EcuadorLined forest falconM. gilvicollis(Vieillot, 1817)South America:Amazon rainforestCryptic forest falconM. mintoniWhittaker, 2003South America:From eastern Amazon rainforest south to BoliviaSlaty-backed forest falconM. mirandollei(Schlegel, 1862)Central & South America:Costa Rica to eastern BrazilCollared forest falconM. semitorquatus(Vieillot, 1817)Central & South America:Central Mexico to northern ArgentinaBuckley's forest falconM. buckleyiSwann, 1919South America:Western Amazon rainforest
Subfamily Falconinae Genus Herpethotheres Genus Herpetotheres Vieillot, 1817 - 1 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureLaughing falcon(Snake hawk)H. cachinnans(Linnaeus, 1758)Central & South America:from Mexico to northern Argentina Genus Spiziapteryx Genus Spiziapteryx Kaup, 1852 - 1 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureSpot-winged falconetS. circumcincta(Kaup, 1852)
Genus Polihierax Genus Polihierax Kaup, 1847 - 2 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePicturePygmy falcon(African pygmy falcon)P. semitorquatus(Smith, 1836)White-rumped falcon(White-rumped pygmy falcon)(White-rumped falconet)(Fielden's falconet)(Burmese pigmy falcon)P. insignisWalden, 1872 Genus Microhierax Genus Microhierax Sharpe, 1874 - 5 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureCollared falconetM. caerulescens(Linnaeus, 1758)Black-thighed falconetM. fringillarius(Drapiez, 1824)White-fronted falconet(Bornean falconet)M. latifronsSharpe, 1879Philippine falconetM. erythrogenys(Vigors, 1831)Pied falconetM. melanoleucos(Blyth, 1843)
Genus Falco Falcons are roughly divisible into three or four groups. The first contains the kestrels (probably excepting the American kestrel); the second group contains slightly larger (on average) and more elegant species, the hobbies and relatives. Third are the peregrine falcon and its relatives: variably sized powerful birds which also have a black malar area (except some very light color morphs), and often a black cap also. Very similar to these and sometimes included therein are the four or so species of hierofalcons (literally, "hawk-falcons").
Genus Falco Linnaeus, 1758 - 40 species Common nameScientific nameIUCN Red List StatusRangePictureLesser kestrelF. naumanniFleischer, 1818Common kestrel(European kestrel)(Eurasian kestrel)(Old World kestrel)F. tinnunculusLinnaeus, 1758Rock kestrelF. rupicolusDaudin, 1800Southern AfricaMalagasy kestrel(Madagascar kestrel)(Malagasy spotted kestrel)(Newton's kestrel)(Madagascar spotted kestrel)F. newtoniGurney, 1863Madagascar, Aldabra IslandMauritius kestrelF. punctatusTemminck, 1821MauritiusReunion kestrelF. duboisi†Cowles, 1994Réunion, extinct since c.1700Seychelles kestrelF. araea(Oberholser, 1917)Seychelles IslandsSpotted kestrel(Moluccan kestrel)F. moluccensis(Bonaparte, 1850)Moluccas, Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas, Java and BaliNankeen kestrelF. cenchroidesVigors & Horsfield, 1827Widespread in AustraliaAmerican kestrelF. sparveriusLinnaeus, 1758Greater kestrel(White-eyed kestrel)F. rupicoloidesSmith, 1829Fox kestrelF. alopex(Heuglin, 1861)Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia to Sudan, Ethiopia and KenyaGrey kestrelF. ardosiaceusVieillot, 1823Senegal and Gambia to Ethiopia south to Tanzania and west to Angola and NamibiaDickinson's kestrel(White-rumped kestrel)F. dickinsoniSclater, 1864Angola and Namibia to central Kenya and northern MozambiqueBanded kestrel(Madagascar banded kestrel)(Barred kestrel)(Madagascar barred kestrel)F. zoniventrisPeters, 1854MadagascarRed-necked falconF. chicqueraDaudin, 1800Red-footed falconF. vespertinusLinnaeus, 1766Amur falconF. amurensisRadde, 1863Eastern Asia, southeastern AfricaEleonora's falconF. eleonoraeGené, 1839Southern Europe and also northern Africa, eastern Africa, MadagascarSooty falconF. concolorTemminck, 1825Aplomado falconF. femoralisTemminck, 1822Widespread in Central & South AmericaMerlinF. columbariusLinnaeus, 1758Bat falconF. rufigularisDaudin, 1800Northern Mexico to northeastern ArgentinaOrange-breasted falconF. deiroleucusTemminck, 1825Southern Mexico to northeastern ArgentinaEurasian hobbyF. subbuteoLinnaeus, 1758African hobbyF. cuvieriiSmith, 1830Eastern, central, western and southeastern AfricaOriental hobbyF. severusHorsfield, 1821Northwestern India to Solomon IslandsAustralian hobby(Little falcon)F. longipennisSwainson, 18371Widespread in AustraliaNew Zealand falconF. novaeseelandiaeGmelin, 1788Widespread in New ZealandBrown falconF. berigoraVigors & Horsfield, 1827Widespread in AustraliaGrey falconF. hypoleucosGould, 1841AustraliaBlack falconF. subnigerGray, 1843AustraliaLanner falconF. biarmicusTemminck, 1825Laggar falconF. juggerJ.E. Gray, 1834Pakistan to Burma, IndiaSaker falconF. cherrugGray, 1834Central and southern Europe, northeastern Africa and northern AsiaGyrfalconF. rusticolusLinnaeus, 1758Arctic coasts of Northern America, Europe and AsiaPrairie falconF. mexicanusSchlegel, 1850North AmericaPeregrine falconFalco peregrinusTunstall, 1771Widespread worldwideBarbary falconFalco pelegrinoidesTemminck, 1829Southwestern Europe and northern AfricaTaita falconFalco fasciinuchaReichenow & Neumann, 1895Eastern and southeastern Africa
Notes
References
Bibliography