The divergence of the genus Falco was facilitated by the spread of savannahs during the late Miocene (11.6–5.3 Ma). During the early Pleistocene (2.6–0.8 Ma), the number of falcon species in the Western Palearctic was limited, but this number increased during the middle Pleistocene and became more consolidated by the late Pleistocene. Presumed subspecies and ancestors became extinct during the early and middle Pleistocene (0.8–0.13 Ma). During the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM; 24–16 ka BCE), significant shifts occurred, with latitudinal movements seen in species such as the gyrfalcon, merlin, and Arctic peregrine, and longitudinal shifts were observed in the red-footed falcon. However, no relict populations survived from the glacial range expansions. Warm-adapted species, including the lesser kestrel and Eleonora’s falcon, remained in the Mediterranean basin, where they still reside today. Ultimately, past distribution of falcons largely aligns with their current ranges. The scarcity of fossil remains for certain species, such as the lanner falcon, poses challenges to fully understand their distribution patterns during the Pleistocene.