List of Falconiformes by population

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This is a list of Falconiformes species by global population. While members of Falconiformes were once classified with the hawks, eagles, vultures, and kites of order Accipitriformes, recent genetic analysis indicates they are not close relatives of these birds.[1][2] Version 15.1 of the IOC World Bird List describes 65 species within Falconiformes, two of which are extinct.[3] As of December 2025, BirdLife International has assessed 64 of these species (excepting rock kestrel). While not all of these species have had their populations quantified, species without estimates are also listed below in a separate table.

While numbers are estimates, they have been made by the experts in their fields. For more information on how these estimates were ascertained, see Wikipedia's articles on population biology and population ecology.

There are two species listed as members of Falconiformes which are extinct. They are as follows:

Species by global population

More information Common name, Binomial name ...
Common name Binomial name Population Status Trend Notes Image
Mauritius kestrelFalco punctatus140-170[6]EN[6]Decrease[6]
Taita falconFalco fasciinucha500-1,000[7]VU[7]Decrease[7]
Grey falcon Falco hypoleucos 500-10,000[8] VU[8] Steady[8] Best estimate for population size is 1,000 mature individuals.[8] Grey_Falcon_(1)_-_Christopher_Watson_(cropped)
Banded kestrelFalco zoniventris670-6,700*[9]LC[10]Decrease[10]*Values provided are from the 2016 IUCN assessment. A more recent assessment from 2025 lists the total population as Unknown.[10]Falco_zoniventris_54012691
Philippine falconetMicrohierax erythrogenys670-6,700*[11]LC[12]Decrease[12]*Values provided are from the 2016 IUCN assessment. A more recent assessment from 2025 lists the total population as Unknown.[12]
Pied falconetMicrohierax melanoleucos670-6,700*[13]LC[14]Decrease[14]*Values provided are from the 2016 IUCN assessment. A more recent assessment from 2025 lists the total population as Unknown.[14]
White-throated caracaraPhalcoboenus albogularis670–6,700*[15]LC[16]Steady[16]*The population size has not been quantified. Values provided are from 2016 IUCN assessment. A more recent assessment from 2023 lists the total population as Unknown.[16]
Black caracaraDaptrius ater670-6,700*[17]LC[18]Steady[18]*The population size has not been quantified. Values provided are from 2016 IUCN assessment. A more recent assessment from 2023 lists the total population as Unknown.[18]Black_caracara_(Daptrius_ater)_Rio_Napo
Carunculated caracaraPhalcoboenus carunculatus670-6,700*[19]LC[20]Steady[20]*The population size has not been quantified. Values provided are from 2016 IUCN assessment. A more recent assessment from 2023 lists the total population as Unknown.[20]
Black falconFalco subniger670-6,700[21]LC[21]Steady[21]
Seychelles kestrelFalco araeus700-900[22]VU[22]Steady[22]Minimum estimate.[22]
Oriental hobbyFalco severus1,000-10,000[23]LC[23]Decrease[23]The current population size is considered unknown; values provided are a preliminary estimate which is likely too low.[23]
Striated caracaraPhalcoboenus australis2,500-5,000[24]NT[24]Decrease[24]
Sooty falconFalco concolor2,800-4,000[25]VU[25]Decrease[25]
Plumbeous forest falcon Micrastur plumbeus 3,600-5,000[26] VU[26] Decrease[26] Population estimation assumes species density across its range is the same as have been observed in Colombia (1 individual/km2).[26]

MicrasturPlumbeusGronvold

New Zealand falconFalco novaeseelandiae5,000-15,000[27]LC[27]Steady[27]
Orange-breasted falconFalco deiroleucus5,000-25,000[28]NT[28]Decrease[28]
Fox kestrelFalco alopex6,700-67,000[29]LC[29]Steady[29]
African hobby Falco cuvierii >10,000[30] LC[30] Decrease[30] IUCN does not estimate a population, but does mention a previous population estimate from 2001 – "larger than 10,000 individuals."[30] Falco_cuvierii_242928271
White-fronted falconetMicrohierax latifrons10,000-19,999[31]NT[31]Decrease[31]
Laggar falconFalco jugger10,000-19,999[32]NT[32]Decrease[32]
White-rumped pygmy falcon

(White-rumped falcon)

 Neohierax insignis10,000-19,999*[33]NT[34]Decrease[34]*The population size has not been quantified. Values provided are from 2017 IUCN assessment. A more recent assessment from 2024 lists the total population as Unknown.[34]
Collared falconet Microhierax caerulescens 10,000-99,999[35] LC[35] Decrease[35] IUCN assessment does not provide a direct estimate, but says, "population is estimated to number in the tens of thousands."[35] Collared_Falconet_by_Tisha_Mukherjee_03
Black-thighed falconet Microhierax fringillarius 10,000-99,999[36] LC[36] Decrease[36] IUCN assessment does not provide a direct estimate, but says, "population is estimated to number in the tens of thousands."[36] Microhierax_fringillarius_112598890
Spotted kestrel Falco moluccensis 10,000-99,999[37] LC[37] Increase[37] IUCN assessment does not provide a direct estimate, but says, "population is estimated to number in the tens of thousands."[37] Spotted_kestrel_flying_(16862666012)
Saker falconFalco cherrug12,200-29,800[38]EN[38]Decrease[38]
GyrfalconFalco rusticolus12,600-55,300[39]LC[39]Steady[39]
Eleonora's falconFalco eleonorae32,400-33,300[40]LC[40]Increase[40]
Slaty-backed forest falcon Micrastur mirandollei 50,000-499,999[41] LC[41] Decrease[41] Micrastur_Mirandollei_(cropped)
Lanner falconFalco biarmicus67,000-670,000[42]LC[42]Decrease[42]
Lesser kestrelFalco naumanni80,000-134,000[43]LC[43]Steady[43]
Peregrine falconFalco peregrinus100,000-499,999[44]LC[44]Increase[44]
Prairie falcon Falco mexicanus 110,000[45] LC[45] Increase[45] Falco_mexicanus_-San_Luis_Obispo,_California,_USA-8_(1)
Amur falconFalco amurensis200,000-667,000[46]LC[46]Steady[46]
MerlinFalco columbarius250,000-3,200,000[47]LC[47]Steady[47]
Red-footed falconFalco vespertinus287,500-400,000[48]VU[48]Decrease[48]
Bat falconFalco rufigularis500,000-4,999,999[49]LC[49]Decrease[49]
Barred forest falconMicrastur ruficollis500,000-4,999,999[50]LC[50]Decrease[50]
Collared forest falconMicrastur semitorquatus500,000-4,999,999[51]LC[51]Decrease[51]
Laughing falconHerpetotheres cachinnans500,000-4,999,999[52]LC[52]Decrease[52]
Red-throated caracara Ibycter americanus 500,000-4,999,999[53] LC[53] Decrease[53] Red-throated_Caracara
Eurasian hobbyFalco subbuteo900,000-1,500,000[54]LC[54]Decrease[54]
Cryptic forest falcon Micrastur mintoni 1,000,000-2,499,999[55] NT[55] Decrease[55] Micrastur_mintoni_-_Cryptic_Forest_Falcon;_Parauapebas,_Pará,_Brazil
Crested caracara Caracara plancus 2,500,000-4,999,999[56] LC[56] Steady[56] Schopfkarakara
Common kestrelFalco tinnunculus4,300,000-6,700,000[57]LC[57]Decrease[57]Note that the IUCN has not recognized the split of the Rock kestrel from this species.[57]
Yellow-headed caracara Milvago chimachima 5,000,000-49,999,999[58] LC[58] Increase[58] Gelbkopfkarakara_Milvago_chimachima
American kestrel Falco sparverius 9,200,000[59] LC[59] Decrease[59] American_kestrel_(Falco_sparverius_cinnamominus)_male_Leona_Amarga
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Species without population estimates

More information Common name, Binomial name ...
Common name Binomial name Population Status Trend Notes Image
Spot-winged falconet Spiziapteryx circumcincta unknown[60] LC[60] Steady[60] Spiziapteryx_circumcincta_106906079
Chimango caracara Daptrius chimango unknown[61] LC[61] Increase[61] Population is expected to be increasing due to this species' affinity for human settlements, especially feeding from garbage dumps.[61] Chimango_caracara_(Daptrius_chimango_temucoensis)_male_Chiloe
Mountain caracara Daptrius megalopterus unknown[62] LC[62] Steady[62] Phalcoboenus_megalopterus_in_Cordillera_Real,_Bolivia_03_1
Lined forest falcon Micrastur gilvicollis unknown[63] LC[63] Decrease[63] Lined_Forest_Falcon
Buckley's forest falcon Micrastur buckleyi unknown[64] LC[64] Decrease[64]
African pygmy-falcon

(Pygmy falcon)

 Polihierax semitorquatus unknown[65] LC[65] Steady[65] Polihierax_semitorquatus_-Buffalo_Springs_National_Park,_Kenya-8
Malagasy kestrel Falco newtoni unknown[66] LC[66] Increase[66] Madagascar_Kestrel_(Falco_newtoni)_Ambohitantely_Reserve
Nankeen kestrel Falco cenchroides unknown[67] LC[67] Increase[67] Nankeen_Kestrel_(Falco_cenchroides)_(43980497412)
Greater kestrel Falco rupicoloides unknown[68] LC[68] Steady[68] Falco_rupicoloides_440542662
Dickinson's kestrel Falco dickinsoni unknown[69] LC[69] Steady[69] Falco_dickinsoni_442975948
Red-necked falcon Falco ruficollis unknown[70] LC[70] Decrease[70] Red-Necked_Falcon
Aplomado falcon Falco femoralis unknown[71] LC[71] Decrease[71] Aplomado_Falcon_portrait
Australian hobby Falco longipennis unknown[72] LC[72] Decrease[72] Australian_Hobby_(Falco_longipennis)_(32559893013)
Brown falcon Falco berigora unknown[73] LC[73] Decrease[73] Brown_Falcon_(Falco_berigora)_(14561166691)
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See also

References

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