Falcon vs Kestrel: What's the Difference?
Kestrels are small falcons. The name is given to the species that hover while hunting. The falcon can be dangerous to people; the kestrel isn't dangerous to people.
Quick answers
They differ on 2 of the 8 quick answers: dangerous, kept as a pet.
| Question | Falcon | Kestrel |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Bird | Bird |
| Carnivore? | Yes | Yes |
| Dangerous? differs | Can be | No |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? | Daytime | Daytime |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? differs | Sometimes | No |
| Do people eat it? | No | No |
At a glance
| Question | Falcon | Kestrel |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Worldwide | Europe, Asia, Africa |
| Habitat differs | Grassland, Mountains, Coast, Towns | Grassland, Farmland, Towns |
| Size differs | Medium | Small |
| Length differs | 15–24 cm (Seychelles kestrel) to 65 cm (gyrfalcon) | 30–36 cm |
| Weight differs | About 840–910 g (peregrine falcon, average) | 150–190 g |
| Legs | 2 | 2 |
| Covered in | Feathers | Feathers |
| Lives differs | In pairs | Alone |
| Lives for differs | 12–15 years | 4–15 years |
| Can fly | Yes | Yes |
| Swims | No | No |
| Lays eggs | Yes | Yes |
About each
Falcon
About 40 species of fast birds of prey with thin, tapered wings, found on every continent except Antarctica. Unlike hawks and eagles, which kill with their talons, falcons kill with a notch on the side of the beak.
Kestrel
The common kestrel is a small falcon of open country across Europe, Asia and Africa, famous for hovering in one spot while it scans the ground. In Britain, where no other kestrel is common, it’s simply “the kestrel”.
Everything on the kestrel page
Sources
- Wikipedia: Falcon
- Animal Diversity Web: Falco peregrinus
- Wikipedia: Hawk
- Wikipedia: Common kestrel
- Animal Diversity Web: Falco tinnunculus
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.