Falcons of Mirkwood
In the vast skies of Arda, where the winds swept over mountain peaks and open plains, hawks and falcons once soared as silent hunters and watchful sentinels. Though seldom named in the great tales of Elves and Men, these birds of prey held a quiet place in the lore of Middle-earth, revered for their swiftness, keen sight, and solitary grace. Among the Eldar, the Quenya word "Fion" referred broadly to hawks—those sharp-eyed birds that nested in the crags of the Pelóri and the highlands of Beleriand. "Haro", often used for falcons, denoted the smaller, swifter kind that hunted in open country and along river valleys. Both were seen as emblems of vigilance and freedom, and some Elven houses bore their likeness on banners or brooches. In the First Age, the cliffs of Thangorodrim and the high passes of Dorthonion had been home to fierce hawks whose cries echoed through the mist. Rangers of the northern marches watched these birds for signs of movement—whether of prey or of approaching foes. It was said that the hawks of Himring could spot a hare from a league away, and that Maedhros the Tall himself kept a trained pair that returned to his gauntlet with messages tied to their legs. Falcons had been more common in the southern lands. In the green hills of Gondolin, falcons nested in the towers and were sometimes used by the guards of the Hidden City to scout the surrounding valleys. Their speed in flight rivaled the swiftest arrows, and their dives struck with deadly precision. The Noldor admired their elegance and often carved their likeness into stone and silver. In Númenor, falconry had become a noble art. Lords of Andúnië and Armenelos trained Haror to hunt across the fields and forests, and some claimed that the birds understood commands in Adûnaic. The falcons of Númenor were bred for generations, growing larger and more intelligent than their wild kin. After the Downfall, a few of these lineages survived in Gondor, where falconry remained a pastime of the nobility. In Rohan, hawks had been symbols of the open sky and the freedom of the plains. Riders often watched their flight to read the weather or the movement of game. Though not commonly trained, wild hawks were respected and never hunted without cause. Some tales told of hawks that followed riders into battle, circling above as omens of victory. The Eagles of the Misty Mountains, though far greater in size and stature, were sometimes spoken of in the same breath as hawks and falcons. The smaller birds were seen as distant cousins—less noble, perhaps, but still kin of the sky. In the speech of the Rohirrim, the word for hawk carried echoes of reverence, and in the songs of Gondor, falcons were likened to the spirits of fallen warriors, ever watchful from above. Even in the dark lands of Mordor, hawks had once nested in the Ephel Dúath before the land was poisoned. These birds vanished as Sauron’s shadow grew, replaced by darker creatures bred for malice. Yet in the high places of Middle-earth, hawks and falcons endured, flying where few dared tread, their cries a reminder of the wild and untamed beauty that lingered even in times of war. Thus, the hawks ("Fiondi") and falcons ("Haror") of Arda played their quiet part in the history of the world—not as heroes or villains, but as watchers of the wind, hunters of the heights, and symbols of the freedom that no shadow could fully extinguish.
Proper Falcons:
- Fell Falcons
- Great falcons of Irdori
- Great falcons of Mirkwood
- Hebogs or Dunland Falcons
- Peregrine Falcon
- Tasidii
Hawks ("Fioni"):
- Black Hawks of the Morannon
- Black marsh-hawk
- Broad-winged Hawk
- crag-hawks
- Dun-coloured Hawk
- Echo-hawks
- Goshawks
- Great Hawks
- Great Wood-Hawks or O-Taka
- Mallorn Hawks
- Nighthawks
- North Hawks
- Red-footed Hawks
- Sea-Hawks
- Small Hawks
- Hendroval
- north-hawks
- Roughleg Hawk
- Sea-Hawks
- Sparrow-Hawks or Speriang
- Uster Hawks
- White hawks
- Wind-Hawks
harriers:
- Chill-Harriers
- Screaming Harriers
Falcons of Renown[]
Editorial Note: This entry contains speculative or fan-based material — such as fanon, fanfiction, or theory constructs — that may not be directly supported by canonical texts. Interpretations offered here are part of the NNCA’s speculative corpus and should not be mistaken for primary Tolkien sources.