Falcon

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Falcon

Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus Falco, which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Adult falcons have thin, tapered wings, which enable them to fly at high speed and change direction rapidly. Fledgling falcons, in their first year of flying, have longer flight feathers, which make their configuration more like that of a general-purpose bird such as a broadwing. This makes flying easier while still learning the aerial skills required to be effective hunters like the adults. The falcons are the largest genus in the Falconinae subfamily of Falconidae, which also includes two other subfamilies comprising caracaras and a few other species of "falcons". All these birds kill prey with their beaks, using a tomial "tooth" on the side of their beaks—unlike the hawks, eagles and other larger birds of prey from the unrelated family Accipitridae, who use talons on their feet. The largest falcon is the gyrfalcon at up to 65 cm (26 in) in length. The smallest falcon species is the Seychelles kestrel, which measures just 15–24 centimetres (5.9–9.4 in). As with hawks and owls, falcons exhibit sexual dimorphism, with the females typically larger than the males, thus allowing a wider range of prey species. As is the case with many birds of prey, falcons have exceptional powers of vision; the visual acuity of one species has been measured at 2.6 times that of human eyes. They are fast fliers, with the Peregrine falcons having been recorded diving at speeds of 320 km/h (200 mph), making them the fastest-moving creatures on Earth; the fastest recorded dive attained a vertical speed of 390 km/h (240 mph).

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• Falcon

  Edit this classification 38; see text. Falcons (/ˈfɒlkən, ˈfɔːl-, ˈfæl-/) are birds of prey in the genus Falco, which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies "Hobby (bird)"), and some that hover#Wind_hoverers "Hover (behaviour)") while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. [...] The falcons are the largest genus in the Falconinae subfamily of Falconidae, which also includes two other subfamilies comprising caracaras "Caracara (subfamily)") and a few other species of "falcons". All these birds kill prey with their beaks, using a tomial "tooth" on the side of their beaks—unlike the hawks, eagles and other larger birds of prey from the unrelated family Accipitridae, who use talons "Talon (anatomy)") on their feet. The largest falcon is the gyrfalcon at up to 65 cm (26 in) in length. The smallest falcon species is the Seychelles kestrel, which measures just 15–24 centimetres (5.9–9.4 in). As with hawks and owls, falcons exhibit sexual dimorphism, with the females typically larger than the males, thus allowing a wider range of prey species. [...] ## Taxonomy The genus Falco was introduced in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae. The type species is the merlin "Merlin (bird)") (Falco columbarius). The genus name Falco is Late Latin meaning a "falcon" from falx, falcis, meaning "a sickle", referring to the claws of the bird. In Middle English and Old French, the title faucon refers generically to several captive raptor species.

• Falcon 9

  Logo of the Falcon 9 Ground-level view of a Falcon 9 lifting off from its launch pad Falcon 9 is a partially reusable, two-stage-to-orbit, medium-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured in the United States by SpaceX. The first Falcon 9 launch was on June 4, 2010, and the first Commercial Resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on October 8, 2012. In 2020, it became the first commercial rocket to launch humans to orbit. With 685 successful flights, Falcon 9 has seen the most launches among active launch vehicles; it is noted for its reliability and high launch cadence, with two in-flight failures, one partial failure and one pre-flight destruction. [...] SpaceX originally intended to follow its Falcon 1 launch vehicle with an intermediate capacity vehicle, Falcon 5. The Falcon line of vehicles are named after the Millennium Falcon, a fictional starship from the Star Wars film series. In 2005, SpaceX announced that it was instead proceeding with Falcon 9, a "fully reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle", and had already secured a government customer. Falcon 9 was described as capable of launching approximately 9,500 kilograms (20,900 lb) to low Earth orbit and was projected to be priced at US$27 million per flight with a 3.7 m (12 ft) payload fairing and US$35 million with a 5.2 m (17 ft) fairing. SpaceX also announced a heavy version of Falcon 9 with a payload capacity of approximately 25,000 kilograms (55,000 lb). Falcon 9 was intended to

• Falcon 9

  Falcon 9 is a reusable, two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of people and payloads into Earth orbit and

• 5 Things You Didn't Know About Falcons

  Falcons are known for their incredible speed and aerodynamic design, they are amazing and beautiful birds. Falcon — Fastest Hunter in the Sky

• Falco | bird genus | Britannica

  Ask Britannica AI about this topic Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage. Male common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). falcon …of the family Falconidae (order Falconiformes), diurnal birds of prey characterized by long, pointed wings and swift, powerful flight. The name is applied in a restricted sense, as true falcons, to the genus Falco, which numbers more than 35 species. Falcons occur virtually worldwide. They range in size from about… Read More [...] Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos Britannica AI Icon ## Quick Summary The genus Falco comprises the true falcons, which are swift, graceful birds of prey known for their predatory skill. These birds are characterized by long, pointed wings, powerful flight, hooked beaks for tearing flesh, and sharp talons for grasping prey. Falcons are found worldwide and vary in size from small falconets to the large gyrfalcon.123 [...] While often perceived as solely beneficial for controlling pests like rodents and insects, some larger falcons may occasionally prey on domestic animals or game birds. Their intelligence and hunting abilities have also led to their use in the sport of falconry. Unfortunately, some falcon species have faced population declines due to factors like pesticide use, though conservation efforts and the banning of certain chemicals have led to recovery in many areas.4526 This summary is created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. 7 Britannica Sources 1. falconiform 2. Falco 3. falconiform - Plumage and molt 4. falcon 5. falconiform - Evolution and paleontology 6. falconiform - Importance to humans 7. peregrine falcon

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  Q4167410