Tercel (British) or tiercel (American) refers to the male falcon. The word is derived from the Latin word tertius, meaning third, because it was once believed that only one in three falcon eggs hatched a male falcon. Falcons are birds of prey, and species exist on all continents except for Antarctica. Female falcons are typically larger than male falcons and are simply called falcons. Falconry is the hunting of wild animals by using a trained falcon. Female falcons are preferred for falconry as they are typically larger and more aggressive than the males. Each U.S. state has different requirements for falconry licenses. Falconry requires a massive commitment of time and resources to train and care for a bird of prey properly.