The taxon comprises ~65 species in the family Falconidae. 

Genus-level timetree of extant Falconidae based on Fuchs et al. (2015) and Oswald et al. (2019), with the distribution of each taxon being indicated by the colour-code used throughout this website (Distribution code). The divergence times of subfamilies follow Kuhl et al. (2021), with only one minor adjustment from Stiller et al. (2024): Falco + Herpetotheres. [Chronoclassification would split Falconidae s.l. into two families, Falconidae s. str. and Herpetotheridae].

Traditional genus-level classification of extant Falconiformes, following AviList checklist v2025. (link) The number of subspecies is given in parentheses.

References

Fuchs J, Johnson JA, and Mindell DP (2012), Molecular systematics of the caracaras and allies (Falconidae: Polyborinae) inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data, Ibis 154, 520-532. (abstract)

Fuchs J, Johnson JA, and Mindell DP (2015), Rapid diversification of falcons (Aves: Falconidae) due to expansion of open habitats in the Late Miocene, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 82, 166-182. (abstract)

Gregory SMS (2024), The correct family-group name for a clade of the Falconidae Leach, 1819, the Caracaras and Spot-winged Falconet, Avian Syst. 2, 27-32. (pdf)

Kuhl H, Frankl-Vilches C, Bakker A, Mayr G, Nikolaus G, Boerno ST, Klages S, Timmermann B, and Gahr M (2021), An unbiased molecular approach using 3'UTRs resolves the avian family-level tree of life, Mol. Biol. Evol. 38, 108-127. (free pdf)

Mindell DP, Fuchs J, and Johnson JA (2018), Phylogeny, taxonomy, and geographic diversity of diurnal raptors: Falconiformes, Accipitriformes, and Cathartiformes, In: Sarasola, J.H. et al., Birds of prey, Chapter 1, 3-32. Springer.  (abstract)

Oswald JA, Allen JM, Witt KE, Folk RA, Albury NA, Steadman DW, and Guralnick RP (2019), Ancient DNA from a 2,500-year-old Caribbean fossil places an extinct bird (Caracara creightoni) in a phylogenetic context, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 140, e:106576. (abstract)

Seong JW, Park JG, and Nam DH (2025), Revisiting subspecies identification of Common Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus): A critical look at Zhang et al. (2008), Zootaxa 5659, 536-546. (abstract)