Differences between Blackbird and Falcon

Blackbird and Falcon are two classes of birds that belong to the Icteridae and Falconidae families respectively.

The New World Blackbirds are tiny songbirds. They have glossy plumage. While the male have black feathers, orange beaks, and orange rings around their eyes, the feathers of the female are a paler black or brown with their beaks and eye rims being yellow. There are about 26 species of Blackbirds. Some of them are Rusty Blackbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, and Red-winged Blackbird.

Falcons are birds of prey. They are known for their agility and sharp vision. They have superior hunting skills, characterized by quick identification, chase, and capture. Their back, head, and wings are bluish grey, while their neck and belly are white with greyish black markings. The skin around the beak, the legs, and feet are yellow. The beak of Falcons is sharply bent at the tip, where they also have a sharp tooth that helps in killing the prey. The talons on the feet are long, sharp, and curved. The Falcon family includes about 40 species.

Where are Blackbird and Falcon found?

Blackbirds live in swamps, meadows, wetlands, forests, agricultural lands, parks, farms, and cities. They are distributed across North America, South America, Canada, Europe, and parts of Russia. They have also been introduced in Australia and New Zealand.

Falcons live everywhere where they can find food. They flourish near coastlines, but can be found in river valleys, mountains, deserts, grasslands, and forests too. They exist in all parts of the world, except Antarctica.

What do Blackbird and Falcon eat?

Blackbirds are omnivores. They eat worms, ants, spiders, insects, grasshoppers, beetles, small reptiles and amphibians, seeds, berries, and fruits.

Falcons are carnivores and chiefly eat other birds, pigeons being their favorite. They prey on birds like doves, gulls, ducks, bats, and waterfowl. Falcons are capable of seizing birds in mid-air. They sometimes also eat fish, frogs, squirrels, mice, and insects.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Blackbird and Falcon

• Both Blackbird and Falcon eat Fish.
• Both Blackbird and Falcon eat Frogs.
• Both Blackbird and Falcon eat Lizards.
• Both Blackbird and Falcon eat Snakes.
• Blackbird do not eat Turtles while Falcon eat Turtles.
• Blackbird do not eat Squirrels while Falcon eat Squirrels.
• Blackbird do not eat Gophers while Falcon eat Gophers.
• Blackbird do not eat Baby Ducks while Falcon eat Baby Ducks.
• Mice are eaten by both Blackbird and Falcon.

Size of Blackbird and Falcon?

When it comes to size, Blackbirds are small birds. They are about seven to 10 inches long with a wingspan of 13 inches.. Falcons are usually 15-60 centimeters long. Their wingspan could be 74-120 centimeters.

As Blackbirds are petite, their average weight is only two to four ounces. while The average weight of Falcons is 1.5-3.3 pounds. The male birds weigh 0.73-2.20 pounds, while the females weigh 1.5-3.3 pounds. The Gyrfalcon is the heaviest of all species. It weighs 3.3 pounds.

Where do Blackbird and Falcon nest?

Blackbirds construct their nests in trees, shrubs, tree holes, or cavities in the ground. The nests are shaped like small cups and are made of twigs, grass, and other plant material. The nests are lined with mud and fine grass. The female bird builds the nest about two weeks before the breeding season. She uses the well-constructed nests for multiple broods in the season. The eggs are bluish green with brown spots. They are incubated by the female for 13-14 days. The young ones will be able to fledge when they are about two weeks old.

Falcons do not build their nests. They use tree holes, ledges in cliffs, or discarded nests of other birds to lay their eggs. Both partners engage in incubating the eggs, which hatch in 29-32 days. The young birds will be able to fly when they are about six weeks old. Nevertheless, they stay under their parents’ care till they are about 10 weeks old.

How long do Blackbird and Falcon live?

The average lifespan of blackbirds is 2.4-3.4 years. According to bird ringing data, the longest-lived blackbird was 21 years and 10 months old. It lived in the UK.

The average lifespan of Falcons is 13 years, although they may live up to 16-20 years in the wild. Many birds die young due to malnutrition. Several adults are also recorded to be dying early because of habitat loss, DDT poisoning, airplane accidents, and environmental issues.

Are Blackbird or Falcon migratory birds?

Blackbirds migrate or reside in the same territory throughout the year depending on geography. The ones in the UK are residents. Birds from northern Europe migrate to UK during winters. Red-winged Blackbirds migrate from Canada and other countries in northern parts of North America to spend winters in southern parts of the continent. Some Blackbirds of Russia reside in the same place for winters, while some travel towards the south or east.

Not all Falcons migrate. Peregrines from Alaska and Greenland migrate to USA and South America during winters. The Amur Falcon migrates in winter from Russia and China to India and South Africa. Most other species remain in their habitats throughout the year if the climate is favorable.

Do Blackbird and Falcon fly in flocks?

A group of Blackbirds is known as a cluster, cloud, or merl. Blackbirds are mostly solitary. They live in their own territories or interact with small groups of their own species. The birds however flock in large numbers during migration.

A group of Falcons is called a cast or cauldron. Falcons are solitary birds. They live, hunt, and migrate alone. They socialize only in the breeding season.

Are Blackbird or Falcon protected?

Blackbirds are protected in their resident countries under wildlife protection laws. Harming or hunting them is prohibited in these countries. However, Blackbirds destroying crops in Australia can be killed.

Falcons are protected across the world under various laws like Migratory Bird Act, Wildlife Conservation Act, and the International CITES treaty. The vulnerable species are protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Are Blackbird or Falcon endangered?

Blackbirds are not endangered. They are the highest breeding birds in the UK. They live in plenty in Europe. Rusty Blackbird is one species that is listed as vulnerable in Canada. Its population is also reducing in North America.

Falcons are not endangered. The American Peregrine was classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act in 1970. However, it was removed from the list in 1999. The existence of the bird was threatened owing to DDT poisoning. However, the banning of DDT together with other recovery projects have saved the species from becoming extinct.

Can Blackbird and Falcon fly?

Blackbirds fly short to long distances during migration. They may travel 100-800 miles in winters. They prefer flying in large flocks while travelling.

Falcons are splendid flyers. They have thin, tapered wings that help them to cut down drag and fly in high speeds. With sharp eyesight, the birds can dive at speeds of nearly 200 miles per hour to capture their prey. The average flying speed of Peregrine Falcons, the fastest animal in the world, is 242 miles an hour. Falcons are solitary travelers that fly about 15,500 miles each year. Amur falcons are the longest migratory birds in the world. They fly over 13,600 miles at a stretch.

Can Blackbird and Falcon swim?

Blackbirds are good swimmers. They can dive and swim underwater to catch a fish.

Falcons do not swim. The structure of their body and feet are not ideal for swimming. However, some Falcon species dive into water to catch the prey.

Mating patterns among Blackbird and Falcon

Blackbirds reach sexual maturity when they are a year old. They are more friendly during the breeding season. During courtship, the male attracts the female by running sideways and making head movements. He also tries to sing to woo her. It is the female’s responsibility to construct the nest and incubate the eggs. Once the eggs hatch, both partners share responsibility to feed the young ones.

Falcons start mating when they are about two years old. The male performs courtship displays in the air to attract the female. He also fetches preys for the female, who in turn shows her acceptance by perching in a suitable spot. The female typically lays three to four eggs, which are around two inches long and pink or brownish in color. Both partners take turns to incubate the eggs. After the eggs hatch, the female usually sits on the young ones to keep them warm while the male gets food for her. The partners protect the young ones by attacking anything that intimidates them.

When is the mating season for Blackbird and Falcon ?

The mating season for Blackbirds generally occurs during March-July. The birds raise three to four broods in a single breeding season.

Falcons are lonely birds that come together only during mating. The mating season depends on the location. It is generally March-July.

Do Blackbird and Falcon mate for life?

Blackbirds are mostly monogamous. The partners mate for life and defend their territories with their partners. In case of unsuccessful broods or loss of brood to a predator, the male may seek a new partner while the female prepares herself for the next brood.

Falcons are monogamous and mate for life. They also tend to use the same nest every breeding season.

How do Blackbird and Falcon sleep?

Blackbirds are nocturnal, although they may nap during the day. They sleep in tree holes and cavities. In winters, they may roost in flocks to maintain body temperature.

Falcons are active during the day, although they may take occasional naps. They sleep during the night while standing on one leg and resting their head on their back.

Can Blackbird and Falcon be eaten?

Blackbirds are known to taste bitter. Their meat were consumed in the past in Ireland and parts of Europe. However, the tradition is fading away. Conservation laws also do not permit killing of Blackbirds for meat.

Falcons were eaten in the past in some cultures like Hare and Strait. They ate the bird meat by boiling, frying, or roasting. However, consumption of Falcons is no longer permitted by stringent conservation laws.

Can you hunt Blackbird or Falcon?

Blackbirds were hunted for meat. They were also killed for destroying farms and crops. Modern laws do not permit hunting of the birds. However, in Australia, Blackbirds are considered as pests and allowed to be killed to protect commercial crops.

Hunting of Falcons was widespread for sport, falconry, feathers, skin, and meat. Although hunting has reduced due to strict laws, falconry is still practiced in countries like United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Austria.

Can you feed Blackbird or Falcon?

Blackbirds can be given worms, oats, maize, and dried fruits. In captivity, they are fed with grasshoppers, worms, ants, beetles, spiders, and dried fruits.

It is illegal to feed wild birds in many countries. However, in countries like the USA, one can own and feed Falcons. The birds are carnivores and should be fed insects, rodents, and ground meat.