More About Falcons
There are actually tens of different species of falcon that all have slightly different characteristics. As a group, they are considered to be the fastest bird on the planet and can travel up to 200 miles an hour. The peregrine falcon is the fastest of all of them and they can reach speeds of over 240 miles an hour! This immense speed allows falcons to catch food mid-flight with their beaks. Of course, they need amazing eyesight to match this speed. They can see in both color and ultraviolet. Falcons also have an incredible metabolism which allows them to beat their wings at a phenomenal rate. However, they are not huge birds and range from 13 to 23 inches in length and weigh between 1.3 and 3.3 pounds. On their head, they have a crown of black feathers that extends to their nap and wedge so they look as if they have a black helmet. The rest of their feathers are usually slate grey with white/cream around their throat.
Hawks vs Falcons
Hawks are also called buzzards or raptors and are carnivorous birds that can grow to 63 inches in height and weigh up to eight pounds. Their coloration is very variable and can include black, gold, white, fawn, and red to name just a few. They have slender wings and hooked beaks. These birds are not quite as fast as falcons but can still reach high speeds. You may see a hawk traveling at 118 miles per hour! As is the case for falcons, there are many different species of hawks – over 200 in fact! Hawks also hunt rodents and other small mammals so their prey includes rabbits, shrews, and voles but they will also eat lizards, frogs, and fish if they are available. On the whole, hawks prefer an easy meal. So, it is unlikely that this hawk wants to eat the falcon because that meal would be far from easy!
Next Up:
Watch A Hawk Turn From Predator to Prey In an Instant After Hunting A SnakeWatch A Red-Tailed Hawk Confront a Much Larger Bald Eagle While Flying in Slow Motion9 Types of Hawks in Pennsylvania
