Difference Between Falcon vs Hawk
Unless you already have a distinctive idea of the difference between falcon and hawk, you would definitely have a hard time telling them apart. These birds have quite a lot in common – they are prey hunters, appear to look alike, and both share characteristics that qualify them as raptors. But when you take a closer look, you will realize that there are lots of differences between the two, some of which are readily visible to the eyes.
In this post, we will take a look at some of the differences between these birds. We will also compare their characteristics in a table to see how they compare with each other. But before we go into all that, let us take a look at their definitions.
Definition of Falcon
A falcon is a type of genus Falco bird with thin tapered wings and a slightly curved beak with a short and rounded head shape. The features of falcon vs hawk may be a little confusing when they are still younger, but a fully matured one, in this case, would have these traits to show for it.
They are highly inhabited birds that can be found just about anywhere on earth except Antarctica. This is because it is naturally easy for them to adapt to most environments including deserts and grasslands. There are about 40 different known species of this bird with a lifespan of a dozen to a couple of decades in years. In some rare cases, they can live to a couple of decades plus five years before they die.
Their wings are quite long while their tails are medium in size. Most of them are dark brown in color, whereas a few are grey in color. The females are usually larger than males. They feed on rodents, small insects, and fishes. They are carnivorous in nature. They go out during the day to hunt, which is why they are called diurnal birds. They have very keen eyesight, which makes it easier for them to hunt. According to scientists, they can see eight times clearer than humans.
These predator birds are strong in nature, and they depend on their strength to survive. Since there are different species of this bird, you may notice some differences in them.
Definition of Hawk
A hawk is a type of predatory bird characterized by petite broad wings, several photoreceptors, long talons, and a medium body size. They are diurnal, and they belong to the classification of Accipitridae (strong to large birds with variable morphology and strongly hooked bills). The following are some of the traits that show the difference between hawk and falcon as well as a few similarities.
They are widely inhabited and can be found in most parts of the world except Antarctica. They can adapt easily to any habitat regardless of the environmental condition. They have sharp bills that they use as a weapon to capture their prey.
They have over two hundred and seventy species of different sizes. Some of them include osprey, black kite, common buzzard, and so on. The full-grown females are usually larger than the full-grown males. They mate with a particular partner for life and the males are known for their dance performance in the air.
Main Differences Between Falcon vs Hawk
|Basis of Comparison||Hawk||Falcon|
|Definition||A type of genus Falco bird with thin tapered wings and a slightly curved beak with a short and rounded head shape||A type of predatory bird characterized by long talons, short broad wings, multiple photoreceptors, and medium body size|
|Genus||Accipiter or Buteo||Falco|
|Top speed||150 mph||250 mph|
|Average body size||Large||Larger|
|Beak||Beak is a little coarse||Finer beak|
Difference Between Falcon And Hawk: Conclusion
In the hawk vs falcon comparison, the much we have shared with you are the essential basics that can help you tell the difference between these two. The shape of their head, body, size, and speed are not the same. You can study the table for a better understanding of their properties.