3:00 snapshot, #69.

[urbpan]

Broad-winged hawk.

Comments

[bellisaurius.livejournal.com]

I've always kind of wondered. What's the difference between a falcon and a hawk?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

"Hawk" is a pretty unscientific word; it basically means any day-flying bird of prey that isn't quite big enough to be called "eagle." The order Falconiformes is split into family Falconidae (the falcons and their closest relatives) and family Accipitridae (other day-flying birds of prey). Falcons are distinguished by wing shape: strongly tapered and swept back, allowing for extremely fast flight; as well as bill shape, and often bold markings, like the "mustache" on peregrine falcons. Many falcons are sexually dimorphic--males and females have different color patterns.