# List of Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey and includes caracaras, laughing falcon, forest falcons, falconets, pygmy falcons, falcons and kestrels. They are small to medium-sized birds of prey, ranging in size from the black-thighed falconet, which can weigh as little as 35 grams (1.2oz), to the gyrfalcon, which can weigh as much as 1,735 grams (61.2oz). They have strongly hooked bills, sharply curved talons and excellent eyesight. The plumage is usually composed of browns, whites, chestnut, black and grey, often with barring of patterning. There is little difference in the plumage of males and females, although a few species have some sexual dimorphism in boldness of plumage. They differ from other Falconiformes in killing with their beaks instead of their talons. They have a "tooth" on the side of their beak for the purpose.
They are classified in eleven genera and 67 species of which two are extinct.

## Conventions

Conservation statuses listed for each species follow the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The symbol indicates that the species's population trend is positive, the symbol indicates that the species's population trend is negative, the symbol indicates that the species's population is stable, and the ? symbol indicates that the species's population trend is unknown. Population trends are based on the Red List of Threatened Species. The super-scripted "IUCN" tag is a link to that species's Red List of Threatened Species page. If a species has taxonomic synonyms, a list of these is provided in the "Scientific name" column, underneath the binomial name and author. If a species has subspecies, a list of these is provided in the "Common name" column, underneath the common name.

## Classification

Family: Falconidae
* Subfamily Polyborinae
** Genus Daptrius – black caracara
** Genus Ibycter – red-throated caracara (sometimes included in Daptrius)
** Genus Phalcoboenus (4 species) – Andean and southern South American caracaras
** Genus Caracara – crested caracaras (2 living species, 1 extinct)
** Genus Milvago – brown caracaras (2 species)
** Genus Micrastur – forest falcons (7 species)
* Subfamily Falconinae
** Genus Herpetotheres – laughing falcon
** Genus Spiziapteryx – spot-winged falconet
** Genus Polihierax – pygmy falcons (2 species, includes Neohierax)
** Genus Microhierax – typical falconets (5 species)
** Genus Falco – true falcons, hobbies and kestrels (around 37 species)
Following list of Falconidae is based on International Ornithological Congress' World Bird List.

## Subfamily Polyborinae

Traditionally, subfamily Polyborinae comprises caracaras and forest falcons which are principally birds of South and Central America. They are classified in six genera and 18 species of which one is extinct since 1906. Unlike the Falco falcons in the same family, caracaras in the five relevant genera are not fast-flying aerial hunters, but are comparatively slow and are often scavengers (a notable exception being the red-throated caracara).

### Genus Daptrius

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range | Picture |
| Black caracara | D. ater Vieillot, 1816 | aLC | South America: Amazonia | |

### Genus Ibycter

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range | Picture |
| Red-throated caracara | I. americanus (Boddaert, 1783) Synonyms: Falco americanus Boddaert, 1783 Daptrius americanus (Boddaert, 1783) | aLC | Central & South America : Southern Mexico to southern Brazil | |

### Genus Phalcoboenus

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range |
| Carunculated caracara | P. carunculatus Des Murs, 1853 | aLC | South America: Ecuador, southwest Colombia |
| Mountain caracara | P. megalopterus (Meyen, 1834) | aLC | South America: Peru to central Chile |
| White-throated caracara | P. albogularis (Gould, 1837) | aLC | South America: Southern Chile, southern Argentina |
| Striated caracara | P. australis (Gmelin, 1788) | bNT | South America: Southern islands |

### Genus Caracara

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range | Picture |
| Guadalupe caracara (Mourning caracara) | C. lutosa† (Ridgway, 1876) Synonyms: Polyborus plancus lutosus Caracara plancus lutosus Polyborus lutosus Caracara lutosus | aEX | Guadalupe Island, Mexico Extinct probably since 1906 | |
| Crested caracara (Carancho) (Carcará) | C. plancus (Miller, 1777) Synonyms: Polyborus plancus Miller, 1777 | aLC | | |

### Genus Milvago

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range | Picture |
| Yellow-headed caracara Subspecies: M. c. cordata Bangs & Penard, TE, 1918 M. c. chimachima (Vieillot, 1816) | M. chimachima (Vieillot, 1816) Synonyms: Polyborus chimachima (Vieillot, 1816) Falco readei (Brodkorb, 1959) Milvago readei (Brodkorb, 1959) | aLC | Central & South America: Costa Rica to northern Argentina | |
| Chimango caracara Subspecies: M. c. chimango Vieillot, 1816 M. c. temucoensis W.L. Sclater, 1918) | M. chimango (Vieillot, 1816) Synonyms: Phalcoboenus chimango Ridgway, 1876 | aLC | South America : Southern Cone | |

### Genus Micrastur

Forest falcons are endemic to the Americas. They are classified as 7 species in one genus. They are adapted for agility in thick cover rather than outright speed in the open air. They have short wings, long tails, and extraordinarily acute hearing. While generally visually inconspicuous, their songs are commonly heard.
| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range |
| Barred forest falcon Subspecies: M. r. guerilla Cassin, 1848 M. r. interstes Bangs, 1907 M. r. zonothrax (Cabanis, 1866) M. r. concentricus (Lesson, 1830) M. r. ruficollis (Vieillot, 1817) M. r. olrogi Amadon, 1964 | M. ruficollis (Vieillot, 1817) | aLC | Central & South America: Southern Mexico to northern Argentina |
| Plumbeous forest falcon | M. plumbeus W.L. Sclater, 1918 | cVU | Central & South America: Southwestern Colombia, northwestern Ecuador |
| Lined forest falcon | M. gilvicollis (Vieillot, 1817) | aLC | South America: Amazon rainforest |
| Cryptic forest falcon | M. mintoni Whittaker, 2003 | aLC | South America: From eastern Amazon rainforest south to Bolivia |
| Slaty-backed forest falcon | M. mirandollei (Schlegel, 1862) | aLC | Central & South America: Costa Rica to eastern Brazil |
| Collared forest falcon Subspecies: M. s. naso (Lesson, 1830) M. s. semitorquatus (Vieillot, 1817) | M. semitorquatus (Vieillot, 1817) | aLC | Central & South America: Central Mexico to northern Argentina |
| Buckley's forest falcon | M. buckleyi Swann, 1919 | aLC | South America: Western Amazon rainforest |

## Subfamily Falconinae
### Genus Herpethotheres

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range | Picture |
| Laughing falcon (Snake hawk) Subspecies: H. c. cachinnans (Linnaeus, 1758) H. c. fulvescens Chapman, 1915 | H. cachinnans (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms: Falco cachinnans (Linnaeus, 1758) Falco sufflator (Linnaeus, 1758) | aLC | Central & South America: from Mexico to northern Argentina | |

### Genus Spiziapteryx

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range | Picture |
| Spot-winged falconet | S. circumcincta (Kaup, 1852) Synonyms: 'Harpagus curcumcinctus' (Kaup, 1852) | aLC | | |

### Genus Polihierax

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range | Picture |
| Pygmy falcon (African pygmy falcon) Subspecies: P. s. castanonotus (Heuglin, 1860) P. s. semitorquatus (Smith, 1836) | P. semitorquatus (Smith, 1836) | aLC | | |
| White-rumped falcon (White-rumped pygmy falcon) (White-rumped falconet) (Fielden's falconet) (Burmese pigmy falcon) Subspecies: P. i. insignis Walden, 1872 P. i. cinereiceps Baker, 1927 P. i. harmandi (Oustalet, 1876) | P. insignis Walden, 1872 Synonyms: 'Neohierax insignis' (Walden, 1872) | bNT | | |

### Genus Microhierax

| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status |
| Collared falconet Subspecies: M. c. caerulescens Linnaeus, 1758 M. c. burmanicus Swann, 1920 | M. caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms: 'Falco caerulescens' (Linnaeus, 1758) | aLC |
| Black-thighed falconet | M. fringillarius (Drapiez, 1824) | aLC |
| White-fronted falconet (Bornean falconet) | M. latifrons Sharpe, 1879 | bNT |
| Philippine falconet Subspecies: M. e. erythrogenys (Vigors, 1831) M. e. meridionalis Ogilvie-Grant, 1897 | M. erythrogenys (Vigors, 1831) | aLC |
| Pied falconet | M. melanoleucos (Blyth, 1843) Synonyms: 'Microhierax melanoleucus' (Blyth, 1843) | aLC |

### Genus Falco

Falcons are roughly divisible into three or four groups. The first contains the kestrels (probably excepting the American kestrel); the second group contains slightly larger (on average) and more elegant species, the hobbies and relatives. Third are the peregrine falcon and its relatives: variably sized powerful birds which also have a black malar area (except some very light color morphs), and often a black cap also. Very similar to these and sometimes included therein are the four or so species of hierofalcons (literally, "hawk-falcons").
| Common name | Scientific name | IUCN Red List Status | Range |
| Lesser kestrel | F. naumanni Fleischer, 1818 | aLC | |
| Common kestrel (European kestrel) (Eurasian kestrel) (Old World kestrel) Subspecies: F. t. tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 F. t. perpallidus (Clark, 1907) F. t. interstinctus McClelland, 1840 F. t. objurgatus (Baker, 1929) F. t. canariensis (Koenig, 1890) F. t. dacotiae Hartert, 1913 F. t. neglectus Schlegel, 1873 F. t. alexandri Bourne, 1955 F. t. rupicolaeformis (C. L. Brehm, 1855) F. t. archeri (Hartert & Neumann, 1932) F. t. rufescens Swainson, 1837 | F. tinnunculus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms: F. t. interstictus | aLC | |
| Rock kestrel | F. rupicolus Daudin, 1800 | iNE | Southern Africa |
| Malagasy kestrel (Madagascar kestrel) (Malagasy spotted kestrel) (Newton's kestrel) (Madagascar spotted kestrel) Subspecies: F. n. newtoni Gurney, 1863 F. n. aldabranus Grote, 1928 | F. newtoni Gurney, 1863 | aLC | Madagascar, Aldabra Island |
| Mauritius kestrel | F. punctatus Temminck, 1821 | dEN | Mauritius |
| Reunion kestrel | F. duboisi† Cowles, 1994 | aEX | Réunion, extinct since c.1700 |
| Seychelles kestrel | F. araea (Oberholser, 1917) | cVU | Seychelles Islands |
| Spotted kestrel (Moluccan kestrel) Subspecies: F. m. moluccensis Bonaparte, 1850 F. m. microbalius Oberholser, 1917 | F. moluccensis (Bonaparte, 1850) | aLC | Moluccas, Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas, Java and Bali |
| Nankeen kestrel Subspecies: F. c. baru Rand, 1940 F. c. cenchroides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | F. cenchroides Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | aLC | Widespread in Australia |
| American kestrel Subspecies: F. s. sparverius Linnaeus, 1758 F. s. paulus (Howe & King, L, 1902) F. s. peninsularis Mearns, 1892 F. s. tropicalis (Griscom, 1930) F. s. nicaraguensis Howell, 1965 F. s. sparverioides Vigors, 1827 F. s. dominicensis Gmelin, 1788 F. s. caribaearum Gmelin, 1788 F. s. brevipennis Berlepsch, 1892) F. s. isabellinus Swainson, 1838 F. s. ochraceus (Cory, 1915) F. s. caucae (Chapman, 1915) F. s. aequatorialis Mearns, 1892 F. s. peruvianus (Cory, 1915) F. s. cinnamominus Swainson, 1838 F. s. fernandensis (Chapman, 1915) F. s. cearae (Cory, 1915) | F. sparverius Linnaeus, 1758 | aLC | |
| Greater kestrel (White-eyed kestrel) Subspecies: F. r. fieldi (Elliot, 1897) F. r. arthuri (Gurney, 1884) F. r. rupicoloides Smith, 1829 | F. rupicoloides Smith, 1829 | aLC | |
| Fox kestrel | F. alopex (Heuglin, 1861) | aLC | Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia to Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya |
| Grey kestrel | F. ardosiaceus Vieillot, 1823 | aLC | Senegal and Gambia to Ethiopia south to Tanzania and west to Angola and Namibia |
| Dickinson's kestrel (White-rumped kestrel) | F. dickinsoni Sclater, 1864 | aLC | Angola and Namibia to central Kenya and northern Mozambique |
| Banded kestrel (Madagascar banded kestrel) (Barred kestrel) (Madagascar barred kestrel) | F. zoniventris Peters, 1854 | aLC | Madagascar |
| Red-necked falcon Subspecies: F. c. chicquera Daudin, 1800 F. c. ruficollis Swainson, 1837 F. c. horsbrughi Gunning & Roberts, 1911 | F. chicquera Daudin, 1800 Synonyms: Turumtia chicquera Blyth, 1863 Chicquera typus Bonaparte,1854 Aesalon chicquera Blanford, 1895 | bNT | |
| Red-footed falcon | F. vespertinus Linnaeus, 1766 | bNT | |
| Amur falcon | F. amurensis Radde, 1863 | aLC | Eastern Asia, southeastern Africa |
| Eleonora's falcon | F. eleonorae Gené, 1839 | aLC | Southern Europe and also northern Africa, eastern Africa, Madagascar |
| Sooty falcon | F. concolor Temminck, 1825 | cVU | |
| Aplomado falcon Subspecies: F. f. septentrionalis Todd, 1916 F. f. femoralis Temminck, 1822 F. f. pichinchae Chapman, 1925 | F. femoralis Temminck, 1822 | aLC | Widespread in Central & South America |
| Merlin Subspecies: F. c. subaesalon Brehm, 1827 F. c. aesalon Tunstall, 1771 F. c. insignis (Clark, 1907) F. c. pacificus (Stegmann, 1929) F. c. pallidus (Sushkin, 1900) F. c. lymani Bangs, 1913 F. c. columbarius Linnaeus, 1758 F. c. suckleyi Ridgway, 1874 F. c. richardsonii Ridgway, 1871 | F. columbarius Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms: Aesalon columbarius (Linnaeus, 1758) F. aesalon Tunstall, 1771 | aLC | |
| Bat falcon Subspecies: F. r. petoensis Chubb, 1918 F. r. rufigularis Daudin, 1800 F. r. ophryophanes (Salvadori, 1895) | F. rufigularis Daudin, 1800 Synonyms: F. albigularis Daudin, 1800 F. fuscocaerulescens Vieillot, 1817 (modern spelling) F. fusco-coerulescens Vieillot, 1817 (original spelling) | aLC | Northern Mexico to northeastern Argentina |
| Orange-breasted falcon | F. deiroleucus Temminck, 1825 | bNT | Southern Mexico to northeastern Argentina |
| Eurasian hobby Subspecies: F. s. subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758 F. s. streichi Hartert & Neumann, 1907 | F. subbuteo Linnaeus, 1758 | aLC | |
| African hobby | F. cuvierii Smith, 1830 | aLC | Eastern, central, western and southeastern Africa |
| Oriental hobby | F. severus Horsfield, 1821 | aLC | Northwestern India to Solomon Islands |
| Australian hobby (Little falcon) Subspecies: F. l. hanieli Hellmayr, 1914 F. l. longipennis Swainson, 1838 F. l. murchisonianus Mathews, 1912 | F. longipennis Swainson, 18371 | aLC | Widespread in Australia |
| New Zealand falcon | F. novaeseelandiae Gmelin, 1788 | bNT | Widespread in New Zealand |
| Brown falcon Subspecies: F. b. novaeguineae (Meyer, AB, 1894) F. b. berigora Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 | F. berigora Vigors & Horsfield, 1827 Synonyms: Asturaetus furcillatus De Vis, 1906 Plioaetus furcillatus (De Vis, 1906) | aLC | Widespread in Australia |
| Grey falcon | F. hypoleucos Gould, 1841 | cVU | Australia |
| Black falcon | F. subniger Gray, 1843 | aLC | Australia |
| Lanner falcon Subspecies: F. b. feldeggii Schlegel, 1843 F. b. erlangeri Kleinschmidt, 1901 F. b. tanypterus Schlegel, 1843 F. b. abyssinicus Neumann, 1904 F. b. biarmicus Temminck, 1825 | F. biarmicus Temminck, 1825 Synonyms: F. feldeggii Schlegel, 1841 F. lanarius Linnaeus, 1758 | aLC | |
| Laggar falcon | F. jugger J.E. Gray, 1834 | bNT | Pakistan to Burma, India |
| Saker falcon Subspecies: F. c. cherrug Gray, JE, 1834 F. c. coatsi Dementiev, 1945 F. c. hendersoni Hume, 1871 F. c. milvipes Jerdon, 1871 | F. cherrug Gray, 1834 Synonyms: F. altaicus (Menzbier, 1891) Hierofalco altaicus Menzbier, 1891 | dEN | Central and southern Europe, northeastern Africa and northern Asia |
| Gyrfalcon | F. rusticolus Linnaeus, 1758 Synonyms: F. arcticus Holbøll, 1843 F. candicans Gmelin, 1788 F. gyrfalco Linnaeus, 1758 F. islandus Brünnich, 1764 F. obsoletus Gmelin, 1788 F. rusticolus candicans Gmelin, 1788 F. rusticolus grebnitzkii (Severtzov, 1885) F. rusticolus intermedius Gloger, 1834 F. rusticolus islandus Brünnich, 1764 F. rusticolus obsoletus Gmelin, 1788 F. rusticolus rusticolus Linnaeus, 1758 F. swarthi L.H. Miller, 1927 Hierofalco grebnitzkii Severtzov, 1885) Hierofalco islandus (Brünnich, 1764) Hierofalco rusticolus (Linnaeus, 1758) Hierofalco rusticolus candicans (Gmelin, 1788) | aLC | Arctic coasts of Northern America, Europe and Asia |
| Prairie falcon | F. mexicanus Schlegel, 1850 Synonyms: Gennaia mexicana Hierofalco mexicanus | aLC | North America |
| Peregrine falcon | Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771 | aLC | Widespread worldwide |
| Barbary falcon | Falco pelegrinoides Temminck, 1829 | aLC | Southwestern Europe and northern Africa |
| Taita falcon | Falco fasciinucha Reichenow & Neumann, 1895 | cVU | Eastern and southeastern Africa |