How Does A Falcon Die?

Falcon methods of death

Falcons are considered like other living creatures, they live a specific age and then die, and the methods of its death are as follows:

The falcon is getting old

Weakness takes hold of the falcon as it ages; If he owns a nesting place of his own, he will not be able to protect it, and the younger one will seize it by fighting, leading to the death or injury of the older one, and thus the latter will die either as a result of his natural aging, or because of his weakness in fighting when he is old.

The female falcon also dies naturally due to its advanced age, and if it survives to a great age; The latter will obviously affect reproduction.

Falcon predation from other predators

Although the falcon is a predatory bird of prey, there are other birds of prey that prey on it, ending its life in order to feed on it, including: owls with great horns, golden eagles, and falcons (the largest types of falcons), while falcon chicks can be taken by some mammals such as cats, bears and foxes, especially if they are The nest is close to the ground.

Falcons eat animals whose bodies contain pesticides

In the twentieth century, falcons were at risk of extinction. Because of insecticides, specifically DDT, which reach the bodies of birds and small mammals through feeding, and those birds and mammals are the ones that the falcon feeds on later, of course.

As for the cause of the death of the falcon, excluding other animals, due to pesticides, it is due to the fact that birds and animals eat small quantities of them, and this amount is not enough to kill them, but rather settles and accumulates in their bodies. Which means that he is exposed to a larger amount of pesticides than those that lead to his death.

Human hunting for falcons

Sometimes falcons are considered prey in the wild for human hunters, which causes their death, and here it is indicated that falcon meat is not eaten; it does not contain any fat; Because of the hawks’ physical activity which makes their meat somewhat dry.

Falcon disease

The falcon may be exposed to several life-threatening diseases, including:

Epilepsy

It is a contagious viral disease that affects most wild birds, including falcons, and causes the death of most falcons that contract it. There is no cure for it yet.

Lead poisoning

It is one of the most common types of poisoning among falcons, and it has two causes, the first: hunting birds with a gun, the second: using rodents to feed falcons, whose bodies contain gun pellets that were used to hunt them. This disease can be fatal depending on the amount of lead in the blood and how long it stays. In the body.

Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is a common fungal infection in falcons. It is treatable in some cases but fatal in others.

The falcon suffered injuries and accidents

The falcon may be exposed to several injuries, some of which may be fatal, and some that represent an injury to it without eliminating its life, including:

The falcon was poisoned after eating its prey that was fed on an insecticide; This leads to his death.
A falcon hitting a plane would cause his death instantly.
The falcon is hit by a gunshot, which may lead to its death or injury.
Falcon hitting fixed objects such as skyscrapers, windows, or electric wires; There are those who deliver from this, and there are those whose term ends.

The average life span of a falcon

Falcons live in trees , and their lifespan ranges between 12-18 years, with the possibility of increasing it in some species. The average age of the different types of falcons is as follows:

Peregrine Falcon

The most famous falcon in the world, and it is the fastest species of bird ever. The longest life span of the peregrine falcon was documented at 19 years and 9 months.

Gyrfalcon

It is named after the limestone mountains, in which it usually builds its nests. The lime falcon settles in the Arctic, and the size of the female is much larger than the male and its lifespan ranges from 13-20 years.

Prairie Falcon

What distinguishes the prairie falcon is its bathing with dust due to the lack of water availability in its area, and sometimes it bathes in the shallow waters of the river, and it was mentioned that the oldest prairie falcon was 17 years and 3 months old.

South Crested Ashpur Crested Caracara

A tropical falcon that resembles an eagle in its behavior. It is tall and easy to recognize from afar. Its maximum age is 21 years and 9 months.

Merlin

Falcons are small in size, and despite their small size, they are fierce and they were called the Lady Falcons, and the oldest Merlin was 11 years and 11 months old at least.

American Kestrel

It is distinguished by its colors, and it is one of the smallest falcons in North America. It keeps its food in the cavities in order to preserve it for the time of need, and to prevent theft. The oldest Kestrel was 14 years and 8 months old.

Aplomado Falcon

It is colorful, but larger than the kestrel. It is found in the southwestern United States of America, but it is endangered. The oldest appalomado was 8 years and 8 months old.