Falcon

Falcons are birds mentioned briefly in the How to Train Your Dragon Book series.

Description
Falcons are Birds of Prey belonging to the Genus Falco. They are superb hunters of other animals ranging from insects to rodents and reptiles. Some species feed largely on other birds. They can be distinguished roughly from hawks and eagles by their smaller relative size. Like with other birds of prey, the female is larger than the male. Falcons also have a 'tooth' or 'hook' in their beaks for killing their prey, unlike other raptors which kill with their talons. They also have narrower wings, allowing them greater speed and agility in the air. Falcons, particularly the Peregrine Falcon, have been clocked at 200 miles per hour when diving, making it the fastest moving animal on earth. Some falcon species Vikings would have encountered include the Eurasian kestrel (Falco tinnunculus), the Merlin (Falco columbarius), the Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus), and the (Falco peregrinus).

Function
In the Book series, falcons are mentioned to compare other creatures to.

In reality, falcons have been used for Falconry, or hunting with birds of prey. They were historically a symbol of social status.

How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse
Falcon movement is compared to that of the Sabre-Tooth Driver Dragon.

"A Saber-tooth can dive more swiftly and beautifully than a peregrine falcon."

- Book 4