Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus)

OTHER NAMES: Mexican Eagle
Latin Etymology: Caracara (from old Tupi name for species) plancus ("flat")

Juvenile Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Caracara plancus cheriway
Weight: 0.9-1.6kg  /  Length: 50-65cm  /  Wingspan: 120-132cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A very widely ranging species found from the Southern USA to Patagonia, they are primarily carrion feeders but are broadly opportunistic and will also hunt or pirate food from other species. They are also adaptable and tactical and will follow things disturbing a habitat such as farming or wildfire as an opportunity to snatch fleeing prey.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Caracara
SUBSPECIES: C. p. cheriway, C. p. plancus
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Carancho
A widespread resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at San Jose and Tarcoles

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Yellow-headed Caracara (Daptrius chimachima)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Daptrius ("bloodsucker") chimachima (Argentinian onoematopoeiac name)

Yellow-headed Caracara (Daptrius chimachima) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Daptrius chimachima cordatus
Weight: 277-364g  /  Length: 40-45cm  /  Wingspan: 74-95cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widespread species found from Central America to Argentina, they prefer open and semi-open habitats as they are opportunistic omnivores whose diet contains not only carrion and live prey, but has also been recorded eating fruits and seeds, as well as sometimes riding upon animals such as capybara to feed on their parasites, or, in some instances, even their open wounds.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Daptrius
SUBSPECIES: D. c. cordatus, D. c. chimachima
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Chimachimá

A common resident along the West Coast
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles and in San Jose

 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Herpetotheres ("mows down reptiles") cachinnans ("laughing")

Laughing Falcon (Herpetotheres cachinnans) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Herpetotheres cachinnans cachinnans
Weight: 400-800g  /  Length: 45-56cm  /  Wingspan: 79-84cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A somewhat taxonomically distinct falcon with it's own family genus - the laughing falcon is a specialist in feeding on snakes which it drops down onto from a high perch. As it's prey is snakes it is mainly associated with lowlands where they are more numerous. As snake hunters, some indigenous cultures associate them with the healing of snake bites. The english name comes from it's somewhat laughing like calls.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Herpetotheres
SUBSPECIES: H. c. cachinnans, H. c. fulvescens

 - Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Halcón Reidor
A fairly common resident
 - COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Falco ("Falcon") mexicanus ("of Mexico")

Adult Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) at Writing-on-Stone National Park, Alberta, Canada - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: 
Weight: 500-9700g  /  Length: 37-45cm  /  Wingspan: 100cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A close relative of the Peregrine, and the only larger falcon species to be endemic to North America, the Prairie Falcon mostly preys upon small birds and mammals and has adapted to be able to live in areas where prey is more scarce than the peregrine generally requires. We spotted this species on at least two occassions, but unfortunately never got a prolonged view.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA - Range extends into the Southern edges of British Colombia, Alberta and Saskatchewan
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta.

UNITED STATES - Resident across most Western States
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in North Dakota 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

OTHER NAMES: Grasshopper Hawk, Killy Hawk
Latin Etymology:  Falco (falcon) sparverius ("sparrowhawk")

Adult male American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) at Writing-n-Stone Pronvincial Park, Alberta - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: Falco sparverius sparverius
Weight: 80-165g  /  Length: 22-31cm  /  Wingspan: 51-61cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small falcon with a vast range, spread from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego at the tip of South America. It isn't actually that close to the other species named Kestrels and is more closely related to species such as the prairie falcon and peregrine.  It is fairly popular in American falconry where it is considered a beginner bird.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
SUBSPECIES: F. s. sparverius, F. s. paulus, F. s. peninsularis, F. s. tropicalis, F. s. nicaraguensis, F. s.sparveroides, F. s. domincensis, F. s. caribaearum, F. s. bevipennis, F. s. isabellinus, F. s. ochraceus, F. s. caucae, F. s. aequatorialis, F. s. peruvianus, F. s. fernandensis, F. s. cinnamominius, F. s. cearae

 - Sighting Locations -

CANADA - Summer breeding species though much of the country
  - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: - Seen in Alberta

UNITED STATES - Summer visiting breeding species in Alaska and northern edge of the US, resident throughout the rest
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen periodically in the lower 48 states along the roadside

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") eleonorae (named for Eleonor of Arborea)

Second Year Female Eleonora's Falcon (Falco eleonorae) at Worth Marshes, Kent- June 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 390g  /  Length: 36-42cm  /  Wingspan: 87-104cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Eleonora's falcon is a somewhat unusual species of falcon in how specialised it is - it breeds almost exclusively on rocky offshore islands of the Mediterranean, then following migrating prey species to Mozambique and Madagascar in the Winter. It feels somewhat like an intermediary species between Hobby and Peregrine in size and buils, although unlike either it comes in multiple colour morphs. This individual was an extremely rare vagrant to the UK that actually stuck around long enough to be twitchable.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - An extremely rare vagrant.

 - Seen at Worth Marshes (a vagrant in June 2022)

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus)

OTHER NAMES: Western Red-footed Falcon
Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") vespertinus ("evening")

Second Year Male Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) at Kinewell Lake, Northamptonshire - May 2020

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 155g  /  Length: 27-32cm  /  Wingspan: 65-75cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

The Red-footed Falcon is a distinctive looking species within its European range - the males are ashen with orange beak, legs and rump, while the females are an unusual mix of tan and grey markings.  They are highly migratory, breeding on Eastern Europe and Russia, and then migrating down to southern Africa in Winter.  Unlike most other European falcons, they sometimes breed colonially. 

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - An annually occuring vagrant

 - A vagrant at Kinewell Lake 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Merlin (Falco columbarius)

OTHER NAMES: Pigeon Hawk

Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") columbarius ("pertaining to doves")

Adult Female Merlin (subspecies F. c. aesolon) at Flamborough, Yorkshire - November 2023

Featured Subspecies: Falco columbarius aesolon
Weight: 165-230g  /  Length: 24-33cm  /  Wingspan: 50-73cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List - Least Concern

Out of all the species represented on this blog thus far, none have had more hours put into finding them with so little success.  A dashing little bird and the smallest raptor in the UK, despite repeated visits to sites which are good for them and had reported them regularly, I ended up with at best fleeting glimpses of "probables" flying past me at high speed, or far more usually, no sign at all of them.  Most frustratingly, of all British species this had been one I had wanted to see since a young age.  When I finally managed to take this photograph I hadn't even been looking for one, I was on a casual walk and I'd just happened to turn round and inspect a distant bird that had alighted on a post further back on the path I had just walked down only to realise this chance glance was the bird that had vexed me on potentially dozens of occasions.  For the good of anyone else who wishes to see this lovely if frustrating bird, I'm going to refrain from advice in case I jinx you.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subspecies: F. c. columbarius, F. c. suckleyi, F. c. richardsonii, F. c. subawesalon, F. c. aesalon, F. c. insignis, F. c. pacificus, F. c. pallidus, F. c. lymani

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce and local breeding species (900-1500 pairs) - migrates internally in the UK in Winter

 - Indiviiduals at Onager Hill, Frampton Marshes  and Flamborough Head in 2023, , 1 female at Harlyn Bay in April 2014.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni)

OTHER NAMES: N/A

Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") naumanni (after Johann Friedrich Naumann)

Two adult male Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) in Castille-La-Mancha, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 90-172g  /  Length: 29-32cm  /  Wingspan: 58-72cm

ABSENT FROM UK / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Lesser Kestrel is the other kestrel of Europe, and in many ways its a very different sort of bird despite the similar appearances.  Visually the females of both species are almost identical, but in the males there is a distinct lack of markings over the same base colours than differentiates the two, as well as blue-grey on the wings. Unusually for European species, the Lesser Kestrel is a communal falcon, and is also migratory, although the ones in Seville are at least partially resident.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subspecies: none - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Cernícalo primilla "Little Cousin Kestrel"

Widespread Summer migrant to most of the country, though resident in a few locations in the South.

 - SEVILLE 2011 TRIP: Several seen around central Seville 
 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: A bird seen on farmland near Madrid
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen at various locations including Laguna del Longar and from the road in locations in Castille La Mancha

Further Notes:  BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo)

OTHER NAMES: Hobby, Northern Hobby

Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") subbuteo ("near-buzzard")

 Adult Eurasian Hobby (subspecies F. s. subbuteo) at Summer Leys, Northants - May 2021

Featured Subspecies: Falco subbuteo subbuteo
Weight: 175-285g  /  Length: 29-36cm  /  Wingspan: 78-84cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Hobby is a small falcon which specialises in high speed hunting in the air, mainly feeding on small birds an insects. It's Britain's only migratory falcon and arrives in the summer. While present mainly around reservoirs and wetlands, they are apparently also found in open country with copses, but I suspect the wetland habitats are easier. I've struggled for a while to try and see this species, and when I finally did encounter it, I ran into a variation of "the swift problem". The basic issue being that as they hunt in the air, are relatively small and are very fast moving training a camera on them in flight is difficult - fortunately they are bigger than swifts and thus easily to capture in wider shots using scenery as a landscape focusing point if like me you don't have a manual zoom which can be operated by hand.

Related Species:

Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subspecies: F. s. subbuteo, F. s. streichi

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Scarce Summer migrant breeding species (2,800 birds)

 - Seen at Rutland Water, Rainham Marshes and Cliffe Pools.  Passage birds seen in Geddington.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

OTHER NAMES: Peregrine, Duck Hawk

Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") peregrinus ("peregrine - wanderer")

Adult Peregrine Falcon (subpecies F. p. peregrinus) at Kettering, Northants - January 2022

Featured Subspecies: Falco peregrinus peregrinus

Weight: 300-1500g  /  Length: 34-58cm  /  Wingspan: 74-120cm

UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The headline for any discussion of the Peregrine has to be that it's the fastest animal on the entire planet, when stooping for prey - regularly smashing past 200 miles per hour as it stoops on unsuspecting prey.  It's also got a selection of other trivia to back that up - it's one of the most widely distributed of all birds, found on every continent, and indeed, a substantial portion of the surface of the earth.  It's also one of the first species to be used for falconry, and has been used as such for over 3000 years.  The peregrine falcon is also our largest resident falcon, and one of the largest falcons in general. However, it suffered massively in recent history - is also a species which is beginning to recover following being persecuted historically. I've found Cornwall to probably be the best place to see them consistently, but I've also seen them in Northumbria, Northamptonshire, Cumbria, Kent and even Central London!

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subspecies: F. p. peregrinus, F. p. calidus, F. p. japonensis, F. p. brookei, F. p. peregrinator, F. p. anatum, F. p. pealei, F. p. tundrius, F. p. cassini, F. p. minor, F. p. madens, F. p. radama, F. p. ernesti, F. p. nesiotis, F. p. furuitii, F. p. macropus, F. p. submelanogenys   

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A scarce but widespread resident in many habitats (1500 pairs) 

 - Seen only occasionally but in many different locations including Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes, Pitsford Reservoir, Ditchford Gravel Pits and Geddington.

COSTA RICA 
An uncommon resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen in San Jose

MALAYSIA - Malay - Falko Belalang ("Grasshopper Falcon")

An uncommonand local resident

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2016 TRIP: A single bird sighted in the Genting Highlands

SPAIN - Spanish - Halcón común ("Common Falcon")
An uncommon resident.

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen flying over Monfrague National Park.

UNITED STATES 
Found throughout Lower 48 and Alaska, migratory within much of the area.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Hayward, Monterey and Berkeley     

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.

Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

OTHER NAMES: Kestrel, Windhover

Latin Etymology: Falco ("falcon") tinnunculus ("skrill sounding")

Adult female Common Kestrel (subspecies F. t. tinnunculus) at Tintagel, Cornwall - April 2015

Featured Subspecies: Falco tinnunculus tinnunculus
Weight: 140-200g  /  Length: 25-35cm  /  Wingspan: 60-65cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Probably our most recognisable raptor, at least in as far as people seeing them on a day to day basis goes, they are also by a long way the most easily seen of our four regular falcons. That being said they are in decline, despite making a success of motorway verges and cities, and the reasons for this aren't necessarily clear. Having said that they are still easier to spot than most raptors, and coastal heath-land seems to hold plenty, as do the aforementioned sides of motorways, although, the heaths are perhaps a better habitat to photograph them in.

Related Species:
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Subspecies: F. t. tinnunculus, F. t. rupicolaeformis, F. t. interstinctus, F. t. objurgatus, F. t. archeri, F. t. rufescens, F. t. canariensis, F. t. dacotiae, F. t. neglectus, F. t. alexandri 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Common breeding resident (46,000 pairs))

 - Seen in many locations including Rutland Water, Trevose Head, Rainham Marshes, Elmley Marshes, Oare Marshes and Geddington.

SPAIN - Spanish - Cernícalo vulgar ("Ordinary Kestrel")

Scarce and Local Resident

 - SEVILLE 2011 TRIP: Several seen around central Seville 
 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Seen in the vicinity of Madrid.
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Seen in the vicinity of Madrid.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

.