Swift fliers, falcons can range from anywhere between 6 inches to two feet in length. In the sport of falconry, females are preferred because they are larger and bolder. Falcons rarely soar or glide but their thin, pointed wings are made for plummeting in high-speed dives. They eat mainly other birds and small mammals, but will sometimes eat carrion or steal prey from other birds. Falcons often kill their victims by snapping their backs. They do not build nests but lay their eggs on the ground, on cliff ledges or in the abandoned nests of other birds.
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Range: Worldwide.
Characteristics: Thin, pointed wings and notched beaks.