Prairie falcon, Goshute Ridge, Nevada Copyright © 1996, Don Baccus (dhogaza@pacifier.com)
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Copyright © 1995, Don Baccus
All images copyright © 1995, Don Baccus
This large falcon, nearly identical in size to the better-known peregrine falcon, is fairly common in our area. As it nests on cliffs, and takes a much higher percentage of rodents than its more famous relative, it is most frequently found in spring where cliffs and irrigated alfalfa fields are in close proximity. These fields host large numbers of Belding's ground squirrel and are at times host to most of the species of raptor to be found here.
However, the prairie falcon may be found nearly anywhere not dominated by wetlands. One year I saw one circling over a traffic light in downtown Burns!
Good luck! This species is very wary, and therefore difficult to approach. Like other large falcons, when it does leave it does so very rapidly, with seemingly little effort.
The best place to see this species, along with several other raptor species, is along "raptor alley", at the east end of the Narrows-Princeton Road.