Peregrine Falcon Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesPeregrine Falcon
Adult
A medium-to-large falcon that occurs on every continent but Antarctica. "North American" adults have a grayish-black helmet, white breast, barred belly and flanks, and dark gray upperparts.
© Joshua Stacy / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 15, 2020Juvenile
Juveniles have buffy underparts that are densely streaked with dark brown. Note brown mask and whisker, and paler eyebrow imparting a distinctive face pattern.
© Bridget Spencer / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, February 24, 2018Adult
Large falcon with bold black "sideburns" and strongly barred underparts. Often hunts shorebirds along coastlines.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryNew JerseyNot all videos have sound
Adult
Long, pointed wings. In flight shows strongly checkered whitish and black underwings and flanks.
© Samuel Paul Galick / Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, December 02, 2013Juvenile
Long, pointed wings. In flight juveniles show boldly checked brown and whitish underwings, dense brown streaking on the underparts, and fine barring in the flight feathers and tail.
© Historical Middleton Island Data / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, September 25, 2014Adult
Call is a long series of harsh "kak" notes, usually given as an alarm.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryDecember 09, 1996Not all videos have sound
Immature
Long, pointed wings. In flight immatures show boldly checked brown and whitish underwings, dense brown streaking on the underparts, and fine barring in the flight feathers and tail.
© Garrett Lau / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 12, 2017Adult
Primarily hunts other birds, but will take a variety of prey.
© Brendan Fogarty / Macaulay LibraryNew York, March 08, 2016Adult
Powerful but relaxed flight style with fluid beats of the long, sharply pointed wings. Hefty body and fairly long tail. Sometimes mobbed by other species trying to drive away the danger.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 26, 2007Not all videos have sound
Adult (Barbary)
"Barbary" Peregrine Falcons, found on the Canary Islands and from Morocco to western Iran, have buffy markings on the back of the head and nape.
© Luis Alberto rodriguez sanchez / Macaulay LibraryCanarias, October 28, 2020Juvenile (Peale's)
"Peale's" Peregrine Falcons occur along the Pacific Coast from Washington to Alaska. Juveniles are extremely dark, with nearly blackish upperparts and heavy dark streaking on the underparts.
© Ken Chamberlain / Macaulay LibraryOregon, July 27, 2018Adult
Large falcon with dark upperparts and sharply pointed wings.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryNew JerseyNot all videos have sound
Juvenile (Tundra)
"Tundra" Peregrines nest on the tundra of North America and Eurasia. Compared to adults, juveniles are brownish (rather than gray) and fairly pale, with creamy white on the head and underparts and upperparts heavily marked with buffy feather edging.
© Brian Stahls / Macaulay LibraryOntario, October 08, 2018Adult (Australian)
Dark gray above with a blackish helmet and a yellow eyering and cere. Bill small and strongly hooked. Underparts pale whitish, with fine dark barring on the flanks.
© Anonymous / Macaulay LibraryNew South Wales, October 15, 2016Immature (Mediterranean)
"Mediterranean" Peregrine Falcons occur from the Mediterranean to the Caucasus and northern Iran.
© Juan José Bazan Hiraldo / Macaulay LibraryIlles Baleares, December 27, 2017Adult (Red-capped)
Adult "Red-capped" Peregrine Falcons have light gray upperparts and reddish-brown marks on the head and nape.
© Sachin Main / Macaulay LibraryGujarat, January 27, 2020Adult (Shaheen)
Adult "Shaheen" Peregrine Falcons of South Asia and East Asia have nearly blackish upperparts and a reddish-orange wash below.
© SANDIPAN GHOSH / Macaulay LibraryWest Bengal, November 08, 2016Immature (Shaheen)
Immature "Shaheen" Peregrine Falcons have a blackish helmet and off-white underparts with a buffy wash and fine streaking.
© Rahul Singh / Macaulay LibraryKarnataka, November 02, 2020Juvenile
Feeds mainly on birds, with over 425 North American bird species alone documented as prey.
© Manish Panchal / Macaulay LibraryGujarat, December 03, 2019Adult
Sometimes nests and roosts on tall buildings.
© Craig Gibson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, April 27, 2017Adult
Sometimes nests and roosts on tall cliffs.
© JeanTr Tremblay / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 11, 2017Similar SpeciesPrairie Falcon
Adult
Prairie Falcons are more brown than the dark gray Peregrine Falcon. The underparts on adult Prairie Falcons also aren't barred like Peregrine Falcons.
© Caroline Lambert / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 06, 2016Similar SpeciesPrairie Falcon
Immature
Prairie Falcons are browner overall than Peregrines. In flight Prairie Falcons show dark "armpit" patches under their wings that Peregrines don't show.
© Ian Routley / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, October 12, 2012Similar SpeciesPrairie Falcon
Immature
Immature Prairie Falcons look similar to immature Peregrine Falcons, but they are paler brown with a paler mustache.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 15, 2012Similar SpeciesMerlin
Adult male (Taiga)
Merlins are smaller than Peregrine Falcons and they lack the Peregrine's helmeted look and thick mustache or sideburn.
© Tony Kurz / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, January 17, 2017Similar SpeciesMerlin
Female/immature (Taiga)
The average Merlin is substantially smaller than a Peregrine Falcon, with a more compact body, shorter wings, and a stockier appearance.
© Jonathan Eckerson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 23, 2016Similar SpeciesGyrfalcon
Adult gray morph
The Gyrfalcon is bulkier than a Peregrine Falcon and is very rare in the continental United States. They also lack the Peregrine's bold mustache.
© Gerrit Vyn / Macaulay LibraryAlaskaSimilar SpeciesGyrfalcon
Immature gray morph
Gyrfalcons are much larger and bulkier than Peregrine Falcons with a longer tail and broader more rounded wings.
© J B / Macaulay LibraryOntarioRotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Falcons and Caracaras(Order: Falconiformes, Family: Falconidae)
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