Juvenile Peregrine Falcons (Identification Guide with Pictures)

The peregrine falcon has an extremely diverse range, covering every continent except Antarctica. They live in nearly every habitat, from tropical rainforests to alpine mountains and arid deserts.

Adaptable and gifted hunters, peregrine falcons are the fastest animals on Earth, capable of swooping speeds of 186 miles (300 kilometers) per hour or more. These birds live in the fast lane, and many don’t survive to old age.

About 17 to 19 subspecies of the peregrine falcon are found in most parts of the world, making identification tricky – especially for juvenile falcons! Here is a guide for juvenile peregrine falcons.

What does a juvenile peregrine falcon look like?

Among the roughly 17 subspecies, there is considerable diversity in the plumage of peregrine falcons, but juvenile falcons do share some commonalities.

A young peregrine falcon is fully fledged, about 35 days old. Early juveniles are still very soft and often appear half-fluffed and half-feathered. They molt into their juvenile feathers in winter.

Juvenile plumage tends to be brown with a buff underpart. The stripes are usually darker than adults with black stripes and become lighter as adults. The upper part is usually lighter and more intensely patterned with greater pattern contrast than the adult fringe, which again becomes lighter and more uniform in adulthood, especially in the case of the American Peregrine Falcon.

Juveniles also have darker “whiskers” that run vertically down from the head to the neck. Also, their facial areas are darker yellow around the beak and eyes compared to adults.

In general, juveniles lack the mostly blue/gray plumage, uniform light gray to white breast, blue-striped underparts, and uniform blue hood that adults possess. Instead, they are more brown, reddish-brown, or tan in color overall.

Early juveniles also have fluffier, scruffy plumage, but this can be confused with molting adults.

What color are juvenile peregrine falcons?

Juvenile peregrine falcons are mostly brown, with a striped brown underparts contrasting with dark brown to black stripes above. They also have lighter wings and sometimes darker facial whiskers.

Minors are generally:

• a) more brown and
• b) darker than adults, with bolder stripes and patterns

This is probably the most reliable rule of thumb for distinguishing them from adults. Additionally, they largely lack the blue upper body and hood of adult peregrine falcons.

How big is a juvenile peregrine falcon?

Young peregrine falcons grow quickly. After just five days, they doubled in mass. About 40 days later, when they fled, juveniles are similar in size and weight to adults, measuring 38 to 48 centimeters long and with a wingspan of 95 to 110 centimeters.

Peregrine falcons grow quickly; by the time they are two or three months old, they are nearly indistinguishable from adult animals in size and weight.

A young peregrine falcon in its natural habitat

What do juvenile peregrine falcons eat?

Adult peregrine falcons have a varied diet that includes many land animals. They are carnivores and only eat meat.

Juveniles may eat the same diet as adults, but usually start with easier-to-catch foods until the juveniles learn how to hunt competently. Young peregrine falcons beg for a month or so after fledgling, but start hunting on their own shortly after leaving the nest.

Several studies have found that parents appear to be teaching their children to hunt and handle prey, including dropping dead prey from a height to simulate a moving target. However, some of these claims have been refuted by researchers who suggest that adults release their prey to avoid being mobbed by begging pups.

It is generally accepted that raptors hunt by instinct rather than being taught by their parents, but there are some exceptions, so it certainly makes sense for adults to teach their young how to hunt.

Young peregrine falcon eating pigeon

How long will Peregrine Falcon juvenile feathers last?

Juvenile peregrine falcon plumage lasts for about 16 months. During this time, they molt 3 times, transitioning from immature to juvenile and finally adult.

Adult peregrine falcons also undergo an annual molt, which makes it difficult to identify the birds from their plumage. As the feather molts, it changes color and crinkles, which sometimes causes molted adult raptors to be confused with juvenile raptors or even other raptors.

How old are juvenile peregrine falcons?

Peregrine falcons are seen as juveniles at about 16 months or so, at which point their juvenile plumage has all but disappeared.

Peregrine falcons reach sexual maturity after 1 to 2 years, but usually do not mate until the following year.

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon in flight

How long do juvenile peregrine falcons stay with their parents?

Juvenile peregrine falcons stay with their parents for about two months after eclosion.

During this time, they are constantly begging for food from their parents, who display their hunting prowess while their young watch and practice flying.

Teenagers are not competent to fly, at least for a few months. You may be able to recognize their clumsy flight compared to competent mature adults.

Afterwards, the chicks usually stay with their parents until fall migration begins or winter ends.

Adult peregrine falcon feeding fledgling chicks

Other Differences Between Juvenile and Adult Peregrine Falcons

Young peregrine falcons still beg for their parents even after they have fledged. This happens for about 1 to 2 months, so you may be able to spot juveniles when they harass their parents for food.

In some cases, teens may even mob their parents after capture and try to steal it. Other than that, there was little behavioral difference between juvenile and adult peregrine falcons.

Juvenile peregrine falcon perched on a branch

What other species look similar to juvenile peregrine falcons?

Peregrine falcons look similar to prairie falcons, gyrfalcons, merlins, and sparrowhawks. Young merlins look alike because they have a blue upper body, similar in color to the peregrine falcon. However, Peregrines are much larger than Merlins.

Although the prairie falcon is also a falcon, it is lighter in color than the peregrine falcon and lacks the blue upper body and hood. Gyrfalcons are also similar in size and stature, but lighter and nearly white.

It is worth mentioning that different subspecies of falcons tend to have different plumage. Unfortunately, this makes it difficult to identify some of the more rare color morphs.

Juvenile Peregrine Falcon Flight

What is an immature peregrine falcon called?

Immature peregrine falcons have no specific name. While they remain in the nest they are called fledglings and once they leave the nest they are called fledglings and then they become juveniles and adults.