What type of bird is a falcon?

The story behind the answer

Falcons are raptors—birds of prey—built to hunt: forward-facing eyesight, razor talons, and a sharply hooked beak with a unique “tomial tooth” used to dispatch prey. Their long, pointed wings make them superb aerial predators; the peregrine falcon’s high-speed stoop can exceed 200 mph, the fastest movement in the animal kingdom.

Unlike songbirds that sing and eat mainly seeds/insects, gamebirds (like pheasants) that are ground-dwelling quarry, or seabirds adapted to marine life, falcons specialize in pursuing and striking other birds in midair. Think “Falcon = Fast taloned fighter,” and remember the beak tooth—falcons often kill with the beak, while many hawks and eagles rely more on crushing talons. The family Falconidae includes kestrels, hobbies, merlins, and peregrines, all sharing the sleek, raptorial design.