- SCIENTIFIC NAME
- Falco mexicanus
- CLASSIFICATION
- Bird
- LIFE SPAN
- 2-5 Years
- SIZE
- 15-19” | 0.9-2.4lbs
- STATE CONSERVATION STATUS
-
- Priority Species
- FEDERAL CONSERVATION STATUS
- Least Concern
- GAME STATUS
- Non-Game
- GAME TYPE
- None
- Washoe
- Humboldt
- Pershing
- Churchill
- Mineral
- Lyon
- Douglas
- Carson City
- Storey
- Elko
- Lander
- Eureka
- White Pine
- Esmeralda
- Nye
- Lincoln
- Clark
Habitat & Range
The Prairie Falcon’s year-round range covers most of the western United States, extending into the Midwest during the winter, and north into Canada during the breeding season.
- Cliffs and Canyons
- Cold desert shrubland and sagebrush
- Grasslands
Threats
- Habitat Degradation
- Habitat Loss
- Wildfires
Natural History
Prairie Falcons live on a diet of ground squirrels, field mice, and smaller birds such as doves, meadowlarks, and shorebirds. Prairie Falcons hunt by soaring in low and fast, or diving straight down from a perch. They are predated mainly by Great Horned Owls and Golden Eagles, which includes predation of the nest as well. Male and female pairs will spend roughly a month looking for an ideal nesting site, using vocalizations to communicate their preferences. Nests may be placed in rocky crevices or cliff ledges. Sometimes they will use nests that have been abandoned by other birds of similar size. The pair works together to defend the territory from other falcons and predators. However, once the eggs are laid, males will brood elsewhere away from the nest at night.
Fun Facts
OTHER Species
