# The Maltese Falcon: Was there a real falcon?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-maltese-falcon-was-there-a-real-falcon/307183>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 6, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-maltese-falcon-was-there-a-real-falcon/307183 "2005-06-06T19:05:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-maltese-falcon-was-there-a-real-falcon/307183/1 "2005-06-06T19:05:18Z")

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I haven’t read the book, but I love the movie version of _The Maltese Falcon_.

I was hoping someone might be able to enlighten me regarding whether (within the terms of the story, not in real life) there was a real Maltese falcon or was it just a legend.?

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-maltese-falcon-was-there-a-real-falcon/307183/2 "2005-06-06T19:20:49Z")

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In the context of the story, yes, the Falcon was a real object. Or, to be more exact, Gutman and the others looking for it certainly believed it to be a real object and one that still existed, although the novel presents no actual evidence for it outside their stories.

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**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-maltese-falcon-was-there-a-real-falcon/307183/3 "2005-06-06T19:27:14Z")

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I always assumed there was, but I haven’t read the book. Of course, wether or not Gutman and his buddies would have ever found it(assuming they are to be arrested before they leave town) is doubtful.