Differences between Falcon and Seagull

Falcon and Seagull are two classes of birds that belong to the Falconidae and Laridae 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.

Seagull is the vernacular form for the bird Gull. Known to be clever, these birds are mostly large in size with grey or white plumage. They have big black marks on their head and wings. Their beaks are usually yellow in color with a red spot and a hook at the tip. Bigger Seagulls have pink legs, while the smaller ones have red or black legs. The birds have webbed feet. There are over 40 species of Gulls across the world.

Where are Falcon and Seagull 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.

Gulls are water birds. They are typically found near coasts, especially during summers. However, they have become common even at inland waterways like rivers, reservoirs, and lakes. They can adapt to any region as long as there are food sources there. Consequently, Gulls are visible even inside cities and towns. Gulls exist everywhere in the world. They have been found even near Antarctica and the Arctic.

What do Falcon and Seagull 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.

The natural diet of Gulls includes fish and other aquatic animals. Besides, it includes land animals like insects, worms, mice, and reptiles. However, Gulls are scavenging birds and can eat just about anything. They have been observed eating fruits, vegetables, and even chips, bread, and spaghetti. Gulls are one of the very few birds that can drink both salt and fresh water. The salt ducts and glands in their beaks act as desalination filters and help the birds to pass up excess salt.

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

• Both Falcon and Seagull eat Fish.
• Both Falcon and Seagull eat Frogs.
• Both Falcon and Seagull eat Lizards.
• Both Falcon and Seagull eat Snakes.
• Both Falcon and Seagull eat Turtles.
• Both Falcon and Seagull eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Falcon, but not by all Seagull.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Falconand Seagull.
• Mice are eaten by both Falcon and Seagull.

Size of Falcon and Seagull?

When it comes to size, Falcons are usually 15-60 centimeters long. Their wingspan could be 74-120 centimeters.. The size of Gulls depends on the species. The smaller ones are generally about one foot long, while the larger ones could measure about 1.5 feet. The average wingspan of the birds is 2.9-3.3 feet.

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 The weight of Gulls varies drastically for different species. The Little Gull weighs just about 4.2 ounces. On the other hand, the Great Black-beaked Gull weighs 3.8 pounds.

Where do Falcon and Seagull 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.

Gulls build their nests in their habitats. It could be at cliffs, coasts, islands, trees, and rooftops as long as they are safe, have food sources nearby, and inaccessible to predators. The nests are built using grass, twigs, and plant material. The eggs take about three weeks to hatch. The young ones are active and fledge when they are five to six weeks old.

How long do Falcon and Seagull 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.

Gulls have a short lifespan. They live for 8-20 years in the wild. The longest-lived Gull was from Denmark and lived for 33 years and eight months.

Are Falcon or Seagull 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.

Gulls are generally migratory. They move from northern hemispheres during winter to regions where there are abundant food sources. The birds from Canada and North America move to the tip of South America or parts of USA where the temperature is not freezing. The Black-Headed Gull migrates from UK to southern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Similarly, Gulls migrate from China to Thailand, and from Russia and Siberia to the Indian subcontinent. Some Gulls living on French and Spanish coasts and other warmer regions do not migrate. Additionally, Gulls that have settled in cities where they get easy access to food from human refuse, safe nesting places in rooftops, and warmth from buildings may not migrate.

Do Falcon and Seagull 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.

A flock of Gulls is called a squabble, screech, scavenging, or colony. Gulls live in groups, consisting of a few birds or even up to a thousand. They unite to drive away predators. Besides, they adopt different body language and sounds to communicate with each other. Gulls stay with their flocks almost throughout the year.

Are Falcon or Seagull 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.

Seagulls, their nests, and eggs are protected under various laws across the world. Harming these in any way is considered a punishable offence.

Are Falcon or Seagull 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.

Some species of Gulls are endangered. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Chinese Black-Headed Gull and Relict Gull are vulnerable to extinction, while Heermann’s Gull and White-Eyed Gull are threatened. The population of Glaucous-winged Gull has declined by 50 percent in Georgia Basin, while the numbers of Gulls in Canada and the UK are also falling drastically. This has been attributed to loss of habitat, pollutants, and poor food quality.

Can Falcon and Seagull 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.

Gulls are highly skilled in flying. They have expert control on wind and thermals, and can execute complex manoeuvres. They can fly at speeds of up to 28 miles per hour. The birds fly extremely long distances during migration. Gulls are capable of flying during the night as well. When there are changes in air pressure due to an oncoming storm or earthquake, Gulls gather in circles to regulate their focus and balance.

Can Falcon and Seagull 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.

Gulls are also adept swimmers. They can live comfortably both on land and water. They have webbed feet and can swim well both in sea and fresh waters. However, they do not swim too far in the seas. They usually swim in search of food.

Mating patterns among Falcon and Seagull

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.

Gulls start mating when they are about four years old. The heads of the Gulls are in pure white, black, brown, or gray color in the breeding season. They are known to mate both inland and on coasts, however copulation occurs on land at breeding sites. The courtship involves complex dances, rituals, and articulations. The Gulls mate until the female can lay an egg. They build their nests in colonies. Both male and female partners incubate the eggs for about 30 days.

When is the mating season for Falcon and Seagull ?

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

The breeding season for Gulls is usually March-July every year. The birds gather at breeding colonies few weeks before the onset of the season.

Do Falcon and Seagull mate for life?

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

Gulls are monogamous and stay with the same partner throughout their lives. They even return to the same breeding site every time.

How do Falcon and Seagull 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.

Gulls generally sleep during the night. However, they are scavengers and are known to be awake and flying even in the night. In natural habitats, they sleep on beaches, rivers, and lakes. The city-dwellers sleep in parks and rooftops. Gulls usually roost in groups to stay safe from predators.

Can Falcon and Seagull 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.

Gulls were consumed in the past by Inuit, Alaskan, Hare, and other cultures for survival. The meat of the birds is not considered appetizing. Further, it is illegal to hunt and eat Gulls under modern laws.

Can you hunt Falcon or Seagull?

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.

Cultures in the northern hemisphere have hunted Seagulls in large numbers in bygone times. Some cultures have killed the birds for food. However, Gulls are not permitted to be hunted under existing laws.

Can you feed Falcon or Seagull?

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 illegal to feed Gulls in public in some countries like the USA and Singapore. In countries like the UK, France, and India where feeding Gulls is allowed, the governments request the people to not feed processed food to the birds as it will harm their health. Gulls are scavengers, but it is advised to feed them healthy food like fish, worms, mice, and meat.