Falconidae

The falcons and caracaras are around 65 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae (representing all extant species in the order Falconiformes). The family likely originated in South America during the Paleocene and is divided into three subfamilies: Herpetotherinae, which includes the laughing falcon and forest falcons; Polyborinae, which includes the spot-winged falconet and the caracaras; and Falconinae, the falcons and kestrels (Falco) and falconets (Microhierax).

species of bird

Falconinae is a subfamily of falconid birds of prey that includes 44 species in five genera. It includes Microhierax (the typical falconets), Polihierax (the pygmy falcons), and Falco (the falcons). Molecular data since 2015 has found support in the grouping of these genera, with Polihierax being paraphyletic in respect to Falco. Falconinae and their sister taxon, Polyborinae, split off from Herpetotherinae around 30.2 million years ago in the Oligocene epoch. Falconines split off from the polyborines around 20 million years ago in the Miocene epoch.

Herpetotherinae is a subfamily of falconid birds of prey that includes eight species in two genera Herpetotheres (the laughing falcon) and Micrastur (forest falcons). Both genera are found in South America and the subfamily is basal to the other falconid subfamilies where they split off around 30.2 million years ago in the Oligocene epoch. The two extant herpetotherine genera split around 20 million years ago in the Miocene epoch with the extinct genus Thegornis.