Identified by russet back and tail, double black stripes on white face. Males have blue-gray wings. Falcons are streamlined birds of prey with long pointed wings, large heads, and longish tails that narrow at the tip. They are rapid on the wing and fast and powerful hunters.
Females are larger than males.
Most of North and South America. Open country, prairies, deserts, wooded streams, farmland, cities. Insects, small reptiles, rodents and small birds. Habitually hovers on rapidly beating wings. Nests in cavity in an isolated tree, saquaro, cliff, building, magpie nest.