You are here
Species
Falconidae
EOL Text
The earliest fossils attributed to falconids were found in England, and date to 55 million years ago.
Red-throated caracaras, which prey on bee and wasp nests, are able to emit a powerful insect repellent that scatters angry wasps and bees, preventing them from attacking the bird. Crested caracaras (Caracara plancus) are the national emblem of Mexico.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Falconidae.html |
Falconids use calls to advertise ownership of a territory, to communicate between mates or group members, and in territorial or food disputes. Pairs of breeding forest-falcons sing duets before sunrise, a behavior that presumably functions to advertise their occupation of a territory, and perhaps to strengthen the pair bond. Chicks and females also use vocalizations to beg for food. The vocalizations of falconids are simple, repeated monosyllabic calls, described variously as cackles, chatters, squawks, croaks, wails and whines. Other behaviors used to communicate include flight displays, such as repeated plunging dives near the nest to advertise ownership of a territory or as a part of courtship. Plumage patterns and other physical characteristics, such as the bare skin on the face of the crested caracara (Caracara cheriway) that changes from orange to yellow in excitement, may serve as social signals of good health or prowess, or may advertise occupation of a territory.
Sight is the most important sense used for hunting. Falconids have exceptional eyesight, which they use for catching fast-moving prey. Sound is also used by some forest-dwelling species, many of which have a ruff of stiff feathers around the face that help to capture sound.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Other Communication Modes: duets
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Falconidae.html |
Estimates of annual adult survival ranges from 65 to 80 %. The highest mortality probably occurs during the first year. Some of the oldest known falconids include a crested caracara (Caracara cheriway) and a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), both of which lived to 22 years old.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Falconidae.html |
Though the breeding habits of some species (including most forest-falcons) are unknown, most falconids are believed to be monogamous, and to breed as solitary pairs. Most species are also territorial breeders, defending a hunting territory around the nest site. Resident species may defend a territory year-round. Males of migrant species typically arrive at the nest site before females. Territorial and courtship displays are performed by the male alone, and sometimes by the breeding pair, and include characteristic perched and flight displays near the nest site, accompanied by vocalizations. About ten species nest colonially at least occasionally. Even colonial species breed in individual pairs, and most pairs breed together for many years. Polygyny has been recorded infrequently in a few species. However, it is not known to be typical of any species. Two species of falconids, red-throated caracaras (Ibycter americanus) and collared falconets (Microhierax caerulescens) regularly breed cooperatively.
One characteristic of nesting falconids is division of responsibilities. Females are responsible for brooding and feeding the young as well as defending the nest. Males are entirely responsible for hunting from the time of courtship to about half-way through the nestling period, when the female begins to leave the nest and start hunting.
Mating System: monogamous ; polygynous ; cooperative breeder
Falconids breed once per year during the time of greatest prey availability, often between late winter and early summer. Females lay 1 to 7 (usually 2 to 4) buff eggs with dark red-brown speckles. Eggs are laid every-other day or sometimes every third day. If a clutch is lost within the first two weeks, many pairs will relay. Incubation lasts for 28 to 35 days, and the fledgling period lasts from 4 to 8 weeks. Unlike Accipitrids (Accipitridae), falconid chicks usually hatch synchronously. As a result, falconid chicks in a nest are usually roughly the same size, and siblicide is rare. Falconids usually begin to breed between ages 1 and 3. Most individuals are philopatric; they return to the area near where they hatched to breed.
Unlike most hawks (Accipitridae), falcons do not build nests (though caracaras do). Instead, falcons may arrange the substrate at a nest site such as a cliff to create a smooth depression for the eggs. Nest sites are variable both within and between species, and can include cliffs, tree cavities, epiphytes, the ground and buildings and other urban structures. Falcons frequently usurp nests built by other species, such as corvids and other raptors. Caracaras do build rudimentary nests of sticks, which they line with softer materials such as bark or wool.
Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); fertilization (Internal )
Females lay 1 to 6 (usually 3 to 4) buff eggs with dark red-brown speckles. Eggs are incubated by the female for 28 to 35 days; generally smaller species have a shorter incubation period than larger species. The semi-altricial chicks usually hatch synchronously, and are brooded almost constantly by the female for the first 7 to 10 days. The female also feeds the chicks for the first part of the hatchling period, by tearing prey items into small pieces. The male provides all of the food for the female and the chicks until approximately half-way through the nestling period, at which time the female begins hunting as well. The chicks fledge after 28 to 30 days in small falcons, up to 49 days in the largest falcons and up to 8 weeks in caracaras. The parents continue to provide food for the fledglings for 2 weeks to several months after fledging.
Parental Investment: altricial ; male parental care ; female parental care
- 2002. Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae). M Hutchins, J Jackson, W Bock, eds. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 8, Second Edition. Detroit: Gale Group.
- Kemp, A., I. Newton. 2003. Falcons. Pp. 154-161 in C Perrins, ed. The New Encyclopedia of Birds. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Snyder, H. 2001. Falcons and Caracaras. Pp. 225-229 in C Elphick, J Dunning, D Sibley, eds. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
- White, C., P. Olsen, L. Kiff. 1994. Family Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras). Pp. 216-247 in J del Hoyo, A Elliott, J Sargatal, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 2. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Falconidae.html |
Falconiformes traditionally includes all the diurnal raptors: Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, kites), Pandionidae (osprey), Cathartidae (New World vultures), and Sagittariidae (secretary bird), but all these have been removed to a separate order, Accipitriformes, leaving Falconidae as the only family in the order.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | David P. Mindell, John Harshman, Tree of Life web project |
Source | http://tolweb.org/Falconidae/26379 |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records: 327
Specimens with Sequences: 256
Specimens with Barcodes: 237
Species: 39
Species With Barcodes: 33
Public Records: 164
Public Species: 28
Public BINs: 27
Collection Sites: world map showing specimen collection locations for Falconidae
The Falconidae is one of two families within the order Falconiformes. Falconidae contains 11 genera and 64 species, and is divided into two subfamilies, Polyborinae (caracaras and forest-falcons) and Falconinae (true falcons and falconets).
Falconids can be found in most terrestrial habitats throughout the world, but the greatest diversity of falconids is found in South America and Africa. All falconids are able hunters that can take a variety of prey, including insects, birds, mammals, herpetiles and carrion. Most falconids are solitary and territorial, though a few species are colonial or semi-colonial. All but one species is monogamous, and pairs breed once per year, raising between one and six chicks. Both the male and female provide parental care, with the male providing the majority of food for the female and nestlings.
- Sibley, C., J. Ahlquist. 1990. Phylogeny and Classification of Birds; A Study in Molecular Evolution. New Haven: Yale University Press.
- 2003. E Dickinson, ed. The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World, Third Edition. London: Christopher Helm.
- 2002. Falcons and Caracaras (Falconidae). M Hutchins, J Jackson, W Bock, eds. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Vol. 8, Second Edition. Detroit: Gale Group.
- Kemp, A., I. Newton. 2003. Falcons. Pp. 154-161 in C Perrins, ed. The New Encyclopedia of Birds. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Snyder, H. 2001. Falcons and Caracaras. Pp. 225-229 in C Elphick, J Dunning, D Sibley, eds. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
- White, C., P. Olsen, L. Kiff. 1994. Family Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras). Pp. 216-247 in J del Hoyo, A Elliott, J Sargatal, eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol. 2. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Falconidae.html |
The most significant threat facing falconid populations today is habitat destruction due to intensified human land use, such as logging and clearing of forests. While habitat changes such as forest clearing favor some falconid species, other species that depend on intact forest habitat are declining as a result of development. Many falconid species suffered population declines during the 1960’s and 70’s as the result of poisoning from widespread organochlorine pesticide use. While use of organochlorine pesticides has been eliminated in many countries, it continues in some lesser-developed countries. Local threats to falconid populations include introduced predators, secondary poisoning (from poisons meant for other species), collision with man-made objects such as cars, windows and windmills, bird and egg collection for trade, and electrocution on power lines.
A few species of falconids have successfully adapted to urban landscapes. For example, peregrine falcons are able to nest on buildings, bridges and overpasses, and are able to achieve similar, and sometimes even higher reproductive success compared to pairs nesting in more natural landscapes.
One species of falconid has gone extinct in recorded history. Guadeloupe caracaras (Polyborus plancus lotosus) went extinct around 1600. Today, the IUCN lists 4 species as vulnerable and 6 species as near threatened. All species of Falconids are listed under CITES Appendix I or Appendix II.
- 2003. "UNEP-WCMC Species Database: CITES-Listed Species" (On-line). Accessed March 22, 2004 at http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/species.html.
- IUCN, 2003. "2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species" (On-line). Accessed March 18, 2004 at http://www.redlist.org/.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Falconidae.html |