Dorsal view of a Prairie Falcon

Prairie Falcon images and information:

Falco mexicanus

  • Prairie Falcons are large falcons with pointed wings, medium length tails, brown above and pale below with brown markings. They have a light line above the brow and a brown mustache stripe.
  • Prairie Falcons often share their nesting areas with Golden Eagles, Common Ravens and other hawks like Red-tailed Hawks.
  • Prairie Falcons nest on cliffs as high as 500 feet, they do not build nests but instead use scrapes. They have been known to use abandoned raven and eagle nests.
  • They lay 1 to 8 eggs which take 29 to 31 days to hatch. Brooding is primarily carried out by the female.
  • The diet of Prairie Falcons includes birds like Horned Larks and Western Meadowlark, small rodents such as ground squirrels and pikas and lizards. I have seen them kill and eat small ducks too.
  • Prairie Falcons inhabit sagebrush steppes, deserts, grasslands and other open areas of Western North America.
  • A group of falcons can be called a “bazaar”, “eyrie”, “stooping up” and a “tower” of falcons.
  • Prairie Falcons may live between 10 to 20 years.

I hope you enjoy viewing my Prairie Falcon photos.

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