They are found in barren, open habitats in the Andes, Patagonia and the Falkland Islands.

The adults are distinctive, with bare yellow, orange or red facial skin and cere, and a black plumage with variable amounts of white.

They are highly opportunistic and typically seen walking on the ground, where they will feed on carrion and virtually any small animal they can catch.

The name is derived from Greek: φάλκων 'phálcōn' (hawk, falcon) and βαίνω 'baínō' (I go, I walk).

The extant species are: The extinct species is Phalcoboenus napieri which is known from subfossil remains unearthed in peat deposits from the Falkland Islands, described in 2016 and named for Roddy Napier, the owner of West Point Island in the Falklands.