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Name: Danny
Status: other
Grade: 9-12
Location: IL
Country: USA
Date: Fall 2012
Question:
Do Falcons mate in the air?


Replies:
No. Peregrines and many other falcons perform sometimes spectacular aerial courtship displays, but they must land to actually mate. You can find pictures and video by an internet search for "falcon mating."

J. Elliott

No

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqKy2fcWC3k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5zSWaItDps&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eehvt7Jo3HM&feature=related

Sincere regards, Mike Stewart

Hi Danny,

Thanks for the questnoi. I am not aware of any bird that mates while in the air. If you find one that does, I would be curious to know.

Jeff

When I was studying Red-tailed hawks in the 70's, I observed the aerial courtship displays that looked as though the pair was mating in flight since they grasped one another talons and fell together a great distance in what could be mistaken as mating. This in-flight mating behavior was suggested by a well known ornithologist by the name of Cleveland Bent in the 1930's. However, it was a misinterpretation of a mating ritual and actual mating usually takes place on tree limbs. This behavior is represented of many diurnal raptors. Steve Sample

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