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Even the biggest falcons are smaller than the smallest eagle. Eagles are totally different from falcons in that they are robust, and kill by grabbing something and crushing it with the talons. Their whole physiology is geared towards this, wheras falcons are designed to dive, hitting the prey and stunning it. Their talons are long and thin, but not particularly strong compared to the eagle talons. A Steppe eagle can crush the skull of a wolf in its talons.
A nifty difference is the Tomal tooth - this is found in the falcon's beak. Do a google search for falcon beak or tomal tooth and you might find some pictures. Eagles don't have this. This is because if the prey is not dead when the falcon gets there, the bird will break its neck using the tomal tooth. If you have ever been bitten by a falcon you will understand how much power this gives the bird's beak!
Falconas also have long, pointed wings (known as longwings); eagles have broad, rounded wings (broadwings). Falcons have black or very dark brown eyes (with some exceptions); eagles have a variety of different eye colours but not as dark as falcon eyes. Eagles also have a more prominent eyebrow-like ridge above the eye called a supra-orbital ridge. Falcons are slim, eagles are broad-chested and tough. Falcons as a general rule tend to have a more amiable, pleasant personality compared to eagles who are more aggressive and want to be the boss! Falcons have better eyesight than eagles and are more intelligent.
A Falcon is any of several species of raptors in the genus Falco. The word comes from Latin falco, related to Latin falx ("scythe") because of the shape of these birds' wings.
Adult falcons have thin tapered wings, which enable them to fly at high speed and to change direction rapidly. Younger falcons, in their first year of flying, have longer flight feathers which makes their configuration more like that of a general-purpose bird such as a broadwing. This is to make it easier for them to fly while learning the exceptional skills required to be effective hunters in their adult configuration. Technically a Falcons Wings are shaped more like a Scythe and not a sickle. Common misconceptions of the difference of a scythe and sickle are the cause of the misconception of the shape of the falcons wings.
Eagles are large birds of prey which inhabit mainly the Old World, with only two species (the Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle) found in North America north of Mexico, a few in Middle and South America, two (the White-bellied Sea Eagle and Wedge-tailed Eagle) in Australia, and the Philippine Eagle in the Philippines. They are members of the bird order Falconiformes (or Accipitriformes, according to alternative classification schemes), family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other in any sort of way.
Eagles are differentiated from other broad-winged birds of prey mainly by their larger size, more powerful build, and heavier head and bill. Even the smallest eagles, like the Booted Eagle (which is comparable in size to a Common Buzzard or Red-tailed Hawk), have relatively longer and more evenly broad wings, and more direct, faster flight. Most eagles are larger than any other raptors apart from the vultures.
They're two different species of birds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/falcon...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/eagle...
Eagles and falcons a both birds of prey, though in different orders.
Eagles, from the order Accipitriformes, are large birds with long, broad wings and massive legs. Booted eagles have feathered legs and build large stick nests.
Falcons, from the order Falconiformes, are small to medium sized birds of prey with long pointed wings. Unlike most other raptors, they belong to the Falconidae rather than the Accipitridae. Many are particularly swift flyers. Instead of building their own nests, falcons appropriate old nests of other birds but sometimes they lay their eggs on cliff ledges or in tree hollows.
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