Skip to main content

Photo: Jutta Luft / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Red-footed Falcon

Falco vespertinus

Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) — Birds of Prey of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

See what's near you right now

The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) is a member of the Falconidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 151 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Falconiformes
  3. Family Falconidae Caracaras, Falcons
  4. Genus Falco
  5. Species vespertinus

Where it lives

Central Europe to central Asia

Quick facts

Weight
151 g
Family
Falconidae

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Red-footed Falcon is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Red-footed Falcon is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) belongs to the Falconidae family of the order Falconiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL c Europe to c Asia.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 151 g, with a wing length of about 23.8 cm and a tail of around 12.5 cm.

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 9.4 million km².

Songs & calls

Red-footed Falcon — Call

Recorded by András Schmidt Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Red-footed Falcon?

The Red-footed Falcon is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 151 g.

Where does the Red-footed Falcon live?

The Red-footed Falcon is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL c Europe to c Asia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Red-footed Falcon belong to?

The Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) belongs to the Falconidae family, in the order Falconiformes.

What does the Red-footed Falcon eat?

The Red-footed Falcon is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Red-footed Falcon migrate?

The Red-footed Falcon is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Red-footed Falcon endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

What sound does the Red-footed Falcon make?

1 real field recording of the Red-footed Falcon — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Red-footed Falcon's range?

The Red-footed Falcon has a mapped global range of about 9.4 million km².

Conservation

Vulnerable

Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.

How to help birds

Explore more birds

More in Falconidae

More in Birds of Prey

Back to top