Prairie Falcon Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesPrairie Falcon
Immature
Sandy brown falcon with white cheek, white line over eye, and thin dark mustache stripe. Immatures have heavier dark streaking on the underparts. The cere (skin around base of bill) is bluish gray.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 15, 2012Adult
Large falcon with long, pointed wings, white line over eye. In adults tail is often paler than wings. Adults have yellow skin around the bill (cere) and yellow legs and feet.
© Greg Gillson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 29, 2015Juvenile
Large falcon with sandy brown upperparts and strong "mustache" mark on face. Juveniles have bold streaks on the breast.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryDecember 01, 1997Not all videos have sound
Adult
Large falcon with sharply pointed wings and fairly long tail. Uniform sandy brown upperparts. Note whitish line over the eye, pale cheek, and narrow malar or "mustache" stripe. Tail is often lighter than wings.
© Jimmy McMorran / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 30, 2016Immature
Large falcon with sharply pointed wings. Prominent dark "armpits" and wing linings are distinctive when seen. Note thin mustache stripe.
© Ian Routley / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, October 12, 2012Adult
Large falcon with sharply pointed wings and a long, slightly tapering tail. Flies with shallow wingbeats and may glide for short periods on flat or slightly bowed wings. Mostly pale below but with distinctive black axillaries or "armpits."
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryMontana, July 01, 2000Not all videos have sound
Adult
Sandy brown falcon with white cheek, white line over eye, and thin dark mustache stripe. Adults have neat brownish spotting on the underparts.
© Chris S. Wood / Macaulay LibraryArizona, January 04, 2019Habitat
Hunts ground squirrels and other small mammals and birds across open country of western North America, including plains, prairies, agricultural land, deserts, and sagebrush.
© Garth Harwood / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 06, 2017Similar SpeciesPeregrine Falcon
Adult
Peregrines have a bolder, thicker mustache stripe than Prairie Falcons.
© Dorian Anderson / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 15, 2017Similar SpeciesPeregrine Falcon
Adult
In flight Peregrine Falcons do not show the dark underwing and armpits of Prairie Falcons.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 12, 2011Similar SpeciesPeregrine Falcon
Juvenile
Juvenile Peregrine Falcons are spotted and barred below, lacking the Prairie Falcon's dark armpits.
© Historical Middleton Island Data / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, September 25, 2014Similar SpeciesGyrfalcon
Immature gray morph
Gyrfalcon is occasionally seen in winter in the northern part of Prairie Falcon's range, but the Gyrfalcon is larger and bulkier than the Prairie Falcon, with broader, less pointed wings.
© J B / Macaulay LibraryOntarioSimilar SpeciesMerlin
Female/immature (Taiga)
Merlins have heavier banding on the tail than the tail on Prairie Falcons, which mostly appears white from below. Merlins also lack the Prairie Falcon's dark armpits.
© Jonathan Eckerson / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, November 23, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Kestrel
Adult male (Northern)
American Kestrels have more slender wings, a narrower chest, a smaller head that shows two facial stripes unlike Prairie Falcons, which have broader wings and only one facial stripe.
© Jacob Drucker / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 06, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Kestrel
Female (Northern)
American Kestrels are smaller than Prairie Falcons. They have barring on the back and two vertical stripes on their face, whereas Prairie Falcons lack the barring on the back and have only one facial stripe.
© Howard Shapiro / Macaulay LibraryOntario, March 12, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Falcons and Caracaras(Order: Falconiformes, Family: Falconidae)
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