These raptors look similar at a glance. But with a keen eye to the sky, you can learn to distinguish between a falcon vs a hawk.
Falcon vs Hawk: How to Tell the Difference
Updated on Oct. 30, 2023
Often viewed soaring solo high in the sky, hawks and falcons are a marvel to watch. But these birds of prey pose challenges when it comes to identifying a falcon vs a hawk. Both have similar characteristics, and are common throughout the continguous United States. But they belong to different families. Falcons are in the Falconidae family, and hawks are in the Accipitridae family.
As similar as hawks and falcons are, there are key differences. Being able to distinguish between the two comes down to knowing what to look for.
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Falcon vs Hawk: Flight Pattern, Speed and Size
Falcons have aerodynamic bodies, and wings that beat rapidly when flying, enabling them to reach high speeds. The peregrine falcon is the fastest moving bird on record, flying up to 60 miles per hour, and diving up to 200 mph. Hawks flap their wings slowly while flying, and soar while gliding in circles using the heat from thermals to keep them aloft and conserve energy. Hawks reach speeds of under 40 mph, and dive up to 120 mph.
Falcons are generally smaller birds than hawks. They typically measure 8 to 26 inches compared to hawks, which measure 18 to 30 inches. But keep in mind that a large falcon, such as a peregrine or a gyrfalcon, is bigger than a small sharp-shinned hawk.
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What’s All the Flap About? Wing Shape
Even from far away, one can distinguish features of falcon vs hawk wings while in flight. Hawk wings are generally shorter and broader than a falcon’s long, narrow wings. The tips of falcon wings are pointed, whereas the ends of hawk wings look rounded and smooth.
If you’re able to focus binoculars on a perched falcon or hawk, note the shape of the head. A falcon’s head is short and rounded, and a hawk’s head is often larger, more pointed and distinctive.
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Grasp the Differences: Beaks and Talons
Falcons and hawks are carnivores, and use their powerful talons to catch prey, and their sharp, hooked beaks to tear their food. But each kills its prey differently. Hawks use their talons, and falcons rely on a notch, called a tomial tooth, on the side of their beaks to inflict the final blow to their prey.
Hawks eat mice, rats, fish, snakes, lizards, frogs, and insects. Falcons eat mainly smaller birds, although may also eat insects. Smaller species of falcons, such as kestrels, prefer insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, moths and beetles. Larger falcons, such as peregrines, eat waterfowl, shorebirds and domestic piegons. The osprey (hawk) diet is almost exclusively fish.
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Nesting Habits
Hawks often nest at the top of tall trees. They’ll use large sticks, twigs, bark and its own feathers to build a nest, and may reuse it for many years. Falcons seek ledges on rock cliffs, and have adapted to using tall buildings and bridges. The American kestrel is the smallest falcon, and will use natural and artificial cavities such as manmade nest boxes 10 to 30 feet off the ground.
Ospreys build large nests from sticks, bones, seaweed, and other nests in tall trees, on the ground in colonies in isolated islands, and on human-made nesting platforms built just for them in parks and refuges.
Lifespan
Most hawks pair for life, which on average is 20 years. If one partner dies, the other will find a new mate. Likewise, falcons generally mate for life, and have an average lifespan of 13 years.
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