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Scientific name:
Falco mexicanus |
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Family name:
Falconidae |
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Are they endangered? No,
they are not endangered. (IUCN Red list: Least
concern.)
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What are their
past/present problems?
Their biggest problem is man moving into their home
areas but they are slowly getting used to development
and cities. |
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What do they look
like?
The back of their bodies are brown, with darker brown
wing feathers. Their tails are striped with white and
brown bands. The falcon’s head is white with brown
spotting. Their bellies are spotted the same. The eyes
and feet are yellow. |
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How big are they?
Their length is 15-19 inches. The wingspan is 40-42
inches when fully spread.
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How many eggs do they
lay?
Females lay 4-5 white eggs once a year. They eggs hatch
in 30 days. |
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How long do the
fledglings stay in the nest?
These birds like to use nests that other birds have
left. They like to live on cliffs. Young birds (chicks)
leave the nest in 6 weeks. |
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When do they hunt?
They hunt during the day. |
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What do they eat?
Prairie Falcons eat insects, small birds, squirrels, and MICE! |
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Where do they live?
They live in Canada, western U.S. and northern Mexico. |
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What kind of place do
they like to live in?
Prairie Falcons like mountainous areas and places right at the
bottom of them. |
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Interesting facts:
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Prairie Falcons sit on high perches until they see their
prey. They swoop down and grab their prey from behind.
They will also look for prey while they are flying. |
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These birds don’t migrate, but they will come down from
mountain homes to places at the base of the mountain. |
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The common name is Prairie Falcon, but it doesn’t live
too close to real prairies. |
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