Fun Brown Falcon Facts For Kids

The brown falcon (Falco berigora) are medium-sized raptors birds, native to Australia and New Guinea. These are one of the fastest birds in the world and can adapt well to harsh conditions. These are birds with a brown fluffy plumage with a range of plumage colors. The range of plumage colors varies from very dark brown to light brown. Generally, the upperparts are dark brown and the underparts are pale buff or cream.  Female brown falcons are heavier than the males. The brown falcon has unfeathered legs, dark brown to light brown and the color varieties are fairly distributed. The males from the north are very dark and the sides of the head are brown. They have tomial teeth and matching notches for hunting purposes. The brown falcon perches on telegraph poles, trees, and occasionally on birds nest in open trees, not built by themselves but borrowed or snatched from other larger birds. Brown falcons from the tropical north are dark with a paler face and undertail while those from central Australia are paler all over.

Continue reading to learn more about brown falcons. For more relatable content, check out these lanner falcon facts and prairie falcon facts for kids.

What type of animal is a brown falcon?

The brown falcon (Falco berigora )are small to medium-sized raptor birds which feed on snakes, rabbits, and small birds. Being birds of prey, these acquire a higher position in the food chain. Other similar species include the nankeen kestrel and black falcon. The brown falcon perches on telegraph poles, trees, and occasionally birds nest in open trees that are not built by themselves but borrowed or snatched from other larger birds. They kill their prey with a bite.

What class of animal does a brown falcon belong to?

A brown falcon belongs to the Aves class of the Animal kingdom.

How many brown falcons are there in the world?

These are abundant in the areas where they are found. They can be sighted throughout central Australia to Guinea. The exact number of these individuals is not recorded.

Where does a brown falcon live?

The Berigora falcon is found everywhere except in heavily dense forests. They are found in widespread agricultural areas with scattered trees or structures where they can perch easily. They typically live in the grasslands of northern and central Australia. They migrate to other areas if there happens to be a scarcity of food and water. These birds from the tropical regions are seeing an increase in their numbers in rural areas.

What is a brown falcon's habitat?

The brown falcon (Falco berigora) is a medium-sized raptor bird whose habitat includes open grasslands and fields fairly scattered throughout Australia and New Guinea. They perch on telegraph poles and take over birds nests. Their color varies throughout the range of habitat. Birds with a paler face and undertail are associated with inland areas  while birds from the tropical north are darker.

Who do brown falcons live with?

Brown falcons are not socially active birds. They operate independently and are seen feeding and killing alone. They associate with just one other falcon, possibly its potential mate. It exhibits the role of a good parent by supplying food until the incubation period of the young birds of prey is completed.

How long does a brown falcon live?

Brown falcons have a maximum lifespan of 10-16 years.

How do they reproduce?

Brown falcons reproduce in the months from June to November in the south and April to June in the north. They perform acrobatics in order to attract the female. They are monogamous and mate with just one partner for their entire life. They fly back to the same nest every year. The female chooses the nest and lays three to five eggs which have an incubation period of 31-35 days. They find a nest in a tree that belonged to another hawk or bird. Although the female performs most of the duties, the male brown falcon catches prey, while the female incubates. Young falcons resemble dark adults and they have a buff-yellow color on the face with a less apparent barring on the tail. Young falcons start flying in about six weeks.

What is their conservation status?

The brown falcon berigora is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. These are locally abundant with no major threat except humans or climate change. The status of brown falcons is secure as per the current records.

What do brown falcons look like?

Brown falcons are small to medium-sized raptors birds of prey. This falcon has a fluffy plumage and barring on the tail. Their underparts are pale buff or cream and generally, the upperparts are dark brown in adults but have less apparition in young, although the female is dark with paler underparts. The female is larger than the male. The brown falcon has plumage colors ranging from brown to very dark brown and the underparts are usually cream or pale buff. The color on the face and head is brown too. The sides of the head are brown with a distinctive tear-stripe below the eye. The color varieties are fairly diverse. Brown falcons from the tropical north are dark with a pale face and undertail. These falcons found in central Australia are paler birds. All brown falcons associated with inland areas are paler.

Young falcons resemble adults but have a less obvious barring tail and a buff-yellow color on the face, throat, and nape of the neck. The color varieties are fairly diverse. They do not just remain settled on the nest in a tree but are often sighted in rural areas, perching on a telegraph pole.

How cute are they?

The brown falcon is not a social or cute bird. Due to its predatory nature and body with claws and talons which are for killing, it does not have a friendly appearance, nor is it friendly in nature. This bird is brown with a characteristic tear stripe below the eye and the sides of the head have colors that vary from dark brown to light brown, giving it a deadly hue. Humans should maintain a distance from the brown falcon, as it sometimes swoops down and grasps its prey and might harm anyone who happens to be in the way.

How do they communicate?

Brown falcons communicate through body language and behavioral displays. Their vocalizations include crowing, screeching chatters, and cackling. They are quiet when idle.

How big is a brown falcon?

The brown falcon (Falco berigora) is about 16.1 -20.1 in (41-51 cm) in length. The female is larger than the male. An adult falcon weighs around 1.3 lb (590 g). Brown falcons are small and approximately half the size of a golden eagle.

How fast can a brown falcon fly?

A brown falcon can fly with a swooping speed of 200 mph (322 kph). It is among one of the fastest flying birds.

How much does a brown falcon weigh?

The average weight of a brown falcon is around 1.3 lb (590 g). The female is larger and heavier than the male falcon.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male falcon is called a tiercel, whereas the female falcon is called by the name, falcon.

What would you call a baby brown falcon?

A baby brown falcon is called by the name eyas, sometimes spelled as eyass.

What do they eat?

The brown falcon is mostly known to eat smaller birds such as hummingbirds and blue jays. It also hunts for rabbits, snakes, squirrels, gophers, and species of other small mammals or reptiles. The powerful bill has tomial teeth and matching notches for this purpose. Once prey has been sighted, the bird swoops down. They bite to the spine with their specialized tomial teeth.

Are they dangerous?

These brown falcons possess sharp territorial instincts. They might attack anybody who might pose a threat to their dwelling place or themselves. They prey by penetrating the flesh of animals using their talons killing the prey. They are powerful, predatory, and can prove dangerous to humans.

Would they make a good pet?

No, a brown falcon is socially inactive, and so it is not a good choice for a pet. Also, it is illegal to keep them in containment unless you own a zoo or a large aviary for conservation purposes. You need to have a license to keep them and obtaining that license is a tough job. Their natural instincts involve flying high so they are not suitable to keep as pets. They are innate hunters and would want to fly and hunt. The brown falcon (Falco berigora) is accommodated to live in a nest from another hawk, so it might not well adapt to containment conditions.

Did you know...

There are eight subspecies of brown falcons among which most are invalid due to color confusion.  These varieties are fairly scattered in Australia. Paler birds are usually associated with inland areas, whereas the ones from the north are very dark. The species include the Falco berigora berigora found in Northern Australia, and Tasmania, the Falco berigora novaeguineae found in and around Northern Australia, and coastal, central and eastern New Guinea, and the Tasmanian brown falcon which can be seen on the Tasmanian Islands.

A red-footed falcon in Slovakia is said to be the rarest falcon.

Is the brown falcon native to Australia?

A brown falcon is native to Australia and is scattered throughout the range of New Guinea.

What is special about brown falcons?

A brown falcon is a distinct bird because of its valor and willpower of sustaining through harsh circumstances of life. They have proficient hunting skills and are filled with an energetic attitude and control.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our great green macaw facts and Frigatebird facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable brown falcon coloring pages.