By distinguishing their wings’ shape, you can effortlessly identify which one is a hawk or falcon while they’re gliding through the sky. Hawks have wider wings with rounded ends, where there are about five feathers that are open and separated, which look like fingers, whereas falcons have long and slim wings that are hinged like the elbow and pointed at the end. The most prominent feature of the falcon is probably their bright yellow eyelid, upper part of the mouth, and feet. Most falcons also have black and white stripes and patterns on their belly and wing underside. Its wings have the same color tone but are lighter, and its neck is pale and white. On the other hand, a falcon’s head and back are dark gray and sometimes greyish blue. Their feet and upper part of the mouth are chiefly light yellow. Generally, most hawks have reddish-brown or dark brown heads and wings along with a pale belly and wing underside. Usually, female hawks and falcons are bigger than male ones.

A fully grown hawk is measured 18 to 26 inches in length and weighs from 0.7 to 1.6 kg, while a falcon has a body length of 13 to 23 inches and weighs from 0.7 to 1.5 kg. Can a Peregrine Falcon pick up a cat?Īnecdotal reports do exist of peregrine falcons divebombing pets and carrying off kittens, although these are not especially common, and a larger, heavier cat would certainly prove more problematic.Hawks tend to be larger than falcons. Small dogs could potentially be attacked, and although they are not the usual prey of peregrines, if desperate for food, then smaller breeds or puppies could be picked up. Larger dogs would be too heavy for a peregrine falcon to pick up, and certainly wouldn’t be considered its typical prey. Body length is between 14.2 and 19.3 inches for males and 17.7 to 22.8 inches for females. During the breeding season, female peregrines may have a slight edge on smaller male ospreys in terms of mass and length.Ī peregrine falcon’s wingspan is in the range of 31.1 to 44.9 inches. Ospreys are larger and heavier than peregrine falcons, with significantly wider wingspans. Which is bigger, Osprey or Peregrine Falcon? Sharp-shinned hawk mass: 87g to 218 g (3.1 oz to 7.7 oz).Peregrine falcon wingspan: 79 cm to 114 cm (31.1 in to 44.9 in).Sharp-shinned hawk wingspan: 42 cm to 68 cm (17 in to 27 in).Peregrine falcon length: 34 to 58 cm (13.4 in to 22.8 in).Red-tailed hawk length: 45 cm to 65 cm (18 in to 26 in).Sharp-shinned hawk length: 23 cm to 37 cm (9.1 in to 15 in).In contrast, one of the largest hawk species – the red-tailed hawk – is on average larger than the peregrine falcon, although there is some slight overlap in size between the smallest male red-tailed hawks and the largest female peregrine falcons. For example, peregrine falcons are considerably larger than sharp-shinned hawks. Typically hawks are larger than falcons, but within each family there are larger and smaller species. Keep reading to discover the vital statistics of peregrine falcons and find out how these fast-flying predators measure up to other birds of prey.įAQs Is a Peregrine Falcon bigger than a hawk? Females are on average around 30 percent larger than males, and can weigh up to twice as much during the breeding season.

Peregrine falcons are smaller in size than many eagles, buzzards and larger hawks, and this limits the prey they can successfully hunt to smaller animals and larger birds. They are by no means the biggest birds of prey, but are among the larger members of the falcon family. They are roughly the same size as crows, and their streamlined shape enables them to hunt with speed and precision.

Peregrine falcons are smaller in size than ospreys and eagles. Read on, as we look into the average size, weight and wingspans of the world’s fastest bird. But just how big is a peregrine falcon? And how do they compare in size to other similar birds of prey? Peregrine falcons are known for their unrivaled speed and precision hunting, rather than being remarkable for their size or vast wingspan.

Peregrine Falcons compared to other bird species.

How big of an animal can a Peregrine Falcon pick up?.

How big are Peregrine Falcons compared to a human?.

Peregrine falcon vs hawk