Prairie Falcon

COMMON NAME: Prairie Falcon

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Falco mexicanus

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS:
Much larger than either the American kestrel or merlin, prairie falcons are uniformly brown on the back and wings, with a pale head and streaked underside. The head has a "blocky" or crew-cut appearance and the eyes seem a little too large. In the field, prairie falcons can be recognized by their large typical falcon profile and lack of color.

RANGE:
Found only in western North America, Baja, and northern Mexico, the prairie falcon does not breed in Minnesota but can be seen here during spring and fall migration. An occasional sighting is reported around the Twin Cities area some winters.

HABITAT:
Found in arid and semi-arid plains, this is a falcon of open country that nests on rock cliffs in river gorges and occasionally in timbered mountains. Nests are often scraped on ledges although old stick nests of ravens or others raptors will be used.

FEEDING HABITS:
Prairie falcons feed on a variety of prey, including ground squirrels and prairie dogs, lizards, and birds, especially those that are ground dwelling. Immature birds eat large quantities of insects.

RAPTOR CENTER DATA:
Very few wild prairie falcons are admitted to the clinic, although falconers will send birds in to be treated.

CONSERVATION STATUS:
Sometimes used in falconry, especially in the western states, prairie falcons have no special conservation status.

Other Web Resources:

Teacher Lesson Plans

• "Radical Raptors"
  • See a falcon in-flight silhouette

Prairie Falcon Range
Minnesota Ornithologists' Union bird range map

Additional Information (not specifically about falcons):
Publications