🦅 Osprey vs Peregrine falcon 🦅
The osprey is a bit bigger than the peregrine falcon. The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the peregrine falcon.
Getting the animals ready…
| Row | 🦅 Osprey | 🦅 Peregrine falcon |
|---|---|---|
| Size The osprey is a bit bigger than the peregrine falcon. | 22 to 23 in55 to 58 cm1 | 14 to 23 in36 to 58 cm2 |
| Top speed We don't have a checked number for the osprey yet. | no checked number yet | 200 mph322 km/h3 |
| Weight The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the peregrine falcon. | 2.6 to 4.4 lb1.2 to 2 kg1 | 1.1 to 3.1 lb500 g to 1.4 kg2 |
| Lives The osprey lives a bit longer than the peregrine falcon. | 25 years25 years1 | 20 years20 years2 |
| Eats The osprey eats fish; the peregrine falcon eats meat. | almost only fish | other birds, such as pigeons and ducks |
| Lives in They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. | shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world | every continent except Antarctica, on cliffs, coasts and tall city buildings |
Which one? Osprey or peregrine falcon
🏁 Who would win the race?
We don't have a checked top speed for the osprey yet, so there is no race.
We only race. Real animals mostly avoid each other. A race is the only fair contest: who reaches the tree first, by top speed. Our face-off books compare real numbers, and nobody gets hurt.
10 things to know about Osprey vs Peregrine falcon
- The osprey: A fish-eating bird of prey that lives near water around the world.
- The peregrine falcon: The fastest animal in the world when it dives from the sky.
- They are the same kind of animal: both are birds.
- The osprey is a bit bigger than the peregrine falcon: 1 against 2.
- The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the peregrine falcon. That is 1 for the osprey and 2 for the peregrine falcon.
- The osprey lives a bit longer than the peregrine falcon. Usual lifespans: 1 for the osprey and 2 for the peregrine falcon.
- The osprey eats almost only fish. The peregrine falcon eats other birds, such as pigeons and ducks.
- The osprey lives in shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world. The peregrine falcon lives in every continent except Antarctica, on cliffs, coasts and tall city buildings. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
- The osprey: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 4
- The peregrine falcon: doing fine (Least Concern on the IUCN Red List). 5
Wow facts
🦅 Osprey
- An osprey eats almost only fish.
- It lives near water almost everywhere in the world.
- Its wings are wider than a grown-up is tall.
🦅 Peregrine falcon
- Its dive is called a stoop.
- A clear extra eyelid wipes its eyes clean as it dives.
- Peregrines nest on skyscraper ledges, which look like cliffs to them.
Questions kids ask about Osprey and Peregrine falcon
Which is bigger, osprey or peregrine falcon?
The osprey is a bit bigger than the peregrine falcon: 1 against 2.
Which is heavier, osprey or peregrine falcon?
The osprey weighs about one and a half times as much as the peregrine falcon. That is 1 for the osprey and 2 for the peregrine falcon.
Which lives longer, osprey or peregrine falcon?
The osprey lives a bit longer than the peregrine falcon. Usual lifespans: 1 for the osprey and 2 for the peregrine falcon.
What do osprey and peregrine falcon eat?
The osprey eats almost only fish. The peregrine falcon eats other birds, such as pigeons and ducks.
Where do osprey and peregrine falcon live?
The osprey lives in shallow water with plenty of fish, in many parts of the world. The peregrine falcon lives in every continent except Antarctica, on cliffs, coasts and tall city buildings. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet.
Who would win, osprey or peregrine falcon?
We never show fights, because a fight is not a fair way to compare animals. They live in different kinds of places, so they would hardly ever meet. What we can compare is how big, how heavy, how fast, how long they live and what they eat, as above.
📤 Share this pair
The link carries only the two animals’ names: peabody.kids/animals/compare/osprey-vs-peregrine-falcon
Where these numbers come from
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Animal Diversity Web: Pandion haliaetus (osprey), checked 10 November 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, checked 30 October 2026.
- National Park Service, Denali and Yukon-Charley Rivers, checked 30 October 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 10 November 2026.
- Wikidata, from the IUCN Red List, checked 30 October 2026.