With over 4.7 million acres of designated wilderness, Idaho is home to wildlife of all kinds. This includes some magnificent birds of prey, which is what we’ll be talking about in this article. There are 5 species of falcons in Idaho, in the below list we’ll look at each one of these species and learn a bit about them.
Falcons in Idaho
The 5 types of falcons in Idaho are the American Kestrel, Merlin, Gyrfalcon, Peregrine Falcon, and Prairie Falcon.
1. American Kestrel
Scientific name: Falco sparverius
Length: 8.7-12.2 in
Weight: 2.8-5.8 oz
Wingspan: 20.1-24.0 in
American Kestrels have a year-round range throughout the state of Idaho, aside from far eastern areas of the state where they are just Spring and Summer residents. These birds can be seen perching on telephone wires and fence posts when in the country, keeping a keen eye out for insects, small mammals, and reptiles to snatch up. Kestrels also have to be sure to keep an eye out for predators, as they are often meals for larger birds of prey, such as hawks, owls, and crows, as well as snakes.
American Kestrels are the smallest falcons in Idaho and North America, they also happen to be the most colorful. Males have grey-blue wings and a rusty orange back with black barring. The tail is also rusty orange with black tips. The pale belly is washed with orange and pleasantly spotted with small, black polka dots.
2. Merlin
Scientific name: Falco columbarius
Length: 9.4-11.8 in
Weight: 5.6-8.5 oz
Wingspan: 20.9-26.8 in
The Merlin is another small species of falcon found throughout Idaho, though only in Eastern and Northeastern Idaho can they be found all year long. In the very northern tip of Idaho that borders Canada they are breeding residents only. In the rest of the state they are just found in the non-breeding season. They can be identified by their gray or slate gray upper-parts and mostly brown underbody with short black stripes.
They are only slightly bigger than American Kestrels but can appear somewhat larger and heavier. Merlins do not build their own n