Bird Magic: Wisdom of the Ancient Goddess for Pagans & Wiccans - Sandra Kynes 2016
Falcon: American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon
The Profiles
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
The peregrine falcon is the largest falcon in North America and the American kestrel is the smallest. From medieval Latin, peregrine means “wanderer” or “foreigner.” 67 The common name merlin comes from an Old French name for the species, esmerillon, and its scientific name means “falcon dove.” 68 The family name of these birds, Falconidae, is Latin and means “a sickle,” which describes the shape of their beaks and talons.69
Falcons have a signature aerial dive called a “stoop,” where they seem to hang still in the air and then shoot downward like an arrow. They are powerful and fast, which has made them prized sporting and hunting birds. Falconry dates to approximately 1700 BCE in Iran and 650 BCE in China.70 Because of its smaller size, the merlin was the preferred falcon for European noblewomen. Mary Queen of Scots (1542—1587) is said to have used this type of falcon for hunting.
Falcon-headed Horus was one of the oldest Egyptian deities, and the falcon hieroglyph meant “that which is above.” 71 Not surprisingly, falcon amulets have been found in both royal and common Egyptian burials. In addition, according to Norse mythology, Freya’s falcon-feathered cloak was used for shape-shifting.
Magical Workings
Since ancient times, falcon has been a bird of power, strength, and magic. It can provide clarity when interpreting omens and messages and when engaging in any form of psychic work. This bird teaches us how to sharpen our perceptions for greater awareness of what may be going on around us.
Falcon can be instrumental in personal growth as well as healing the soul. Call on it to accompany you as a guide no matter what level (physical or spiritual) your journey may be on. While this bird can be a fierce adversary, it demonstrates the importance of loyalty and truth. Because of its association with the sun, summer, and fire, invite falcon to your summer solstice celebrations by placing a figurine or picture of it on your altar.
Make Connection
Connect with falcon energy by making a talisman. Using a felt-tip marker, draw the symbol of the Eye of Horus on a flat stone or crystal. Go outside at dusk when there are fast-moving clouds, hold the talisman between your hands as you gaze up at the sky and say: “Falcon, falcon, moving so swift, I call to you and offer this gift. This talisman I hold as a tribute to you, guide my work and I will be true.” When you return home, place the talisman on your altar for three days. During this time be attentive for images, sightings, or dreams of falcons, which will indicate that your gift was accepted.
Figure 2.2: The Eye of Horus is a powerful talisman that helps us connect with falcon.
Associations
Zodiac: Capricorn
Element(s): Air, fire
Sabbat(s): Litha
Goddesses: Freya, Frigg, Nephthys
Gods: Horus, Khonsu, Loki, Ra, Woden
Solar system: Sun
Bird Identification
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Also known as: Sparrow hawk
Size: 8 to 12 inches
Wingspan: 20 to 24 inches
Comparative size: Robin
Description: Long, narrow wings; long, square-tipped tail; rusty brown upperparts spotted black; black band near tip of tail; pale face with pairs of vertical black stripes
Male: Slate-blue wings
Female: Reddish-brown wings
Range: From central Alaska across Canada to the Maritime Provinces, and throughout the United States, Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America
Habitat: Meadows, grasslands, farmland, cities, and suburbs
Eggs: White, yellowish, or light reddish brown with violet-magenta, gray, or brown mottling
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Also known as: Pigeon hawk
Size: 9 to 11 inches
Wingspan: 21 to 27 inches
Comparative size: Robin to pigeon
Description: Stocky body; dark, streaked coloration all over; broad, streaked chest; pointed wings dark underneath; medium-length tail with narrow, white bands
Male: Slate-gray to dark gray
Female: More brown than gray
Range: Throughout Alaska, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America
Habitat: Open forests, grasslands, and coastal areas
Eggs: Rusty brown with brown or chestnut markings
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Also known as: Duck hawk
Size: 14 to 21 inches
Wingspan: 39 to 43 inches
Comparative size: Pigeon to crow
Description: Dark head; thick sideburns; gray, hooked bill with yellow base; long, pointed wings; long tail; blue-gray upperparts; barred underparts; yellow lower legs and feet
Range: From Alaska and Arctic Canada, south through the western mountains to the West Coast and Southwest, along the East and Gulf Coasts into Mexico, Central, and South America
Habitat: Open country along rivers, lakes, and coasts as well as in cities
Eggs: Pale creamy to brownish, with brown, red, or purple blotches
Collective noun(s): A bazaar, an eyrie, or a flight of falcons. There is also a cage or a wandering of peregrines, a hover or a soar of kestrels, and a cast of merlins.
67. Mary Beath, Hiking Alone: Trails Out, Trails Home (Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 2008), 11.
68. Wells, 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names, 144.
69. Ibid., 66.
70. Armstrong, The Life and Lore of the Bird in Nature, Art, Myth and Literature, 110.
71. Arin Murphy-Hiscock, Birds: A Spiritual Field Guide (Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2012), 72.