Differences between Falcon and Pine-Siskin

Falcon and Pine-Siskin are two classes of birds that belong to the Falconidae and Fringillidae families respectively.

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.

Pine Siskin is a small song bird. It has a small head, jagged tail, and large body. The plumage is a darker brown on the back and paler brown on the stomach with white patches all over the body. The wings and tails have yellow patches. The bird’s bill is cone-like and pointed. The legs are short and brown with four toes for perching. Pine Siskins are noisy while foraging, flying, and mating. They make raspy and chirpy sounds. They are specially known for the long, harsh twitters they produce.

Where are Falcon and Pine-Siskin found?

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.

Pine Siskins prefer conifer and deciduous forests. However, they are also found in grasslands, meadows, woodlands, and suburban areas where there are plenty of trees. The bird is native to North America. It travels across Canada, Alaska, and northern USA for breeding and during winters.

What do Falcon and Pine-Siskin eat?

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.

Pine Siskins are omnivores although they mostly eat seeds such as spruce, thistle, and birch. They eat insects also in summers. An interesting feeding style among Pine Siskins is that they turn upside down while holding on to conifer branches to eat the cones.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Falcon and Pine-Siskin

• Falcon do eat Fish while Pine-Siskin may not eat Fish.
• Falcon do eat Frogs while Pine-Siskin may not eat Frogs.
• Falcon do eat Lizards while Pine-Siskin may not eat Lizards.
• Falcon do eat Snakes while Pine-Siskin may not eat Snakes.
• Falcon do eat Turtles while Pine-Siskin may not eat Turtles.
• Falcon do eat Squirrels while Pine-Siskin may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Falcon while Pine-Siskin do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Falcon while Pine-Siskin do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Falcon do eat Mice while Pine-Siskin may not eat Mice.

Size of Falcon and Pine-Siskin?

When it comes to size, Falcons are usually 15-60 centimeters long. Their wingspan could be 74-120 centimeters.. Pine Siskins are 4.3-5.5 inches long. Their wingspan averages between 7.1-8.7 inches.

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. while Pine Siskins are tiny birds that weigh 0.42-0.63 ounces.

Where do Falcon and Pine-Siskin nest?

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.

The nests of Pine Siskins are large and shaped like cups. They are covertly placed on horizontal branches of trees, mostly conifers. The female bird constructs the nests with pieces of barks, twigs, grass, and leaves. They are lined with moss, feathers, and plant material. Pine Siskin eggs are bluish green with brown markings. The female lays two to six of them and incubates them continuously for 13 days while being fed by her partner. The parents feed the young ones through regurgitation. The chicks will be able to fledge in two weeks.

How long do Falcon and Pine-Siskin live?

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.

The average lifespan of Pine Siskins is five to six years. The oldest known bird lived for over nine years in North Carolina.

Are Falcon or Pine-Siskin migratory birds?

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.

Pine Siskins exhibit erratic migratory behavior. Their travel depends on the condition of cone crops in their habitats. In winters, they may either migrate in large flocks to the south, east, or west of North America or stay on in their territories.

Do Falcon and Pine-Siskin fly in flocks?

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.

Pine Siskins are sociable birds. They live communally in large groups, making loud calls and sounds. They forage in trees and shrubs along with their flock, flying together from one tree to another. The birds are also known to migrate in large flocks consisting of many thousands. Pine Siskins are social even during the breeding season. Although they are territorial, the birds turn up at each other’s nests.

Are Falcon or Pine-Siskin protected?

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.

Pine Siskins are protected under the Migratory Bird Act in USA. They are also protected by law in Canada.

Are Falcon or Pine-Siskin endangered?

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.

Pine Siskins are not endangered, neither are they threatened. However, their population is on a downfall. The birds face threats from getting infected while flying in huge flocks, falling sick from bird feeders at people’s backyards, poisoning from pesticides, and dehydration.

Can Falcon and Pine-Siskin fly?

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.

The flight of Pine Siskins is marked by their swift take off. The yellow blotches on the wings are flaunted as the birds fly with their head stuck out and legs folded. Pine Siskins fly boisterously in flocks, making different patterns to save energy.

Can Falcon and Pine-Siskin swim?

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.

Pine Siskins are not water birds. However, they may get into water for bathing and drinking.

Mating patterns among Falcon and Pine-Siskin

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.

Pine Siskins attain sexual maturity before they turn one. The birds move to conifer or deciduous forests for breeding. During courtship, the male encircles the female by flight. He keeps his wings and tails spread out. The male also perches on top of trees and sings to attract the attention of the female. The female coos back when she has accepted the offer to mate. The partners also sing sophisticated notes during copulation. In another courtship behavior, the male fetches food and feeds it to the female. The female Pine Siskin generally raises two broods every season, laying three to six eggs in each clutch. She incubates the eggs in insulated nests, breeding continuously with her partner feeding her for all the 13 days. The partners also co-operate in feeding the young ones and guarding the nests.

When is the mating season for Falcon and Pine-Siskin ?

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

Pine Siskins begin courtship in January-February. The mating season could extend up to spring and summer depending on the availability of food in the vicinity. The birds not always return to the same breeding site every year.

Do Falcon and Pine-Siskin mate for life?

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

Pine Siskins are monogamous and loyal to their partners during the nesting season. They form pairs during winters.

How do Falcon and Pine-Siskin sleep?

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.

Pine Siskins sleep on concealed branches of conifer trees, typically 10-20 feet above the ground. They mostly roost in groups. During the breeding season, the female sleeps at the nesting site.

Can Falcon and Pine-Siskin be eaten?

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.

Pine Siskins are protected by law. It is illegal to kill them for meat.

Can you hunt Falcon or Pine-Siskin?

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.

Pine Siskins are not known to be hunted by humans. In recent times, there are laws that protect the birds from any harm or hunting.

Can you feed Falcon or Pine-Siskin?

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.

It is a common practice for people to leave food for birds in the feeders at their backyards. Pine Siskins are also maintained at zoos and wildlife parks. The best feeds to offer these birds is seeds, millets, and vegetables.