Peregrine Falcon - Photos by Bruce Dayton - Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

ORDER: Falconiformes
FAMILY: Falconidae (Falcons - 7 Species)
SPECIES: Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon was formerly known in North America as the Duck Hawk. The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest creature on the planet in its hunting dive, in which it soars to a great height, then dives steeply at speeds in excess of 115 mph. There are 19 regional subspecies of the Peregrine Falcon worldwide. They vary considerably in size and color.
SIZE	The Peregrine Falcon is a medium-sized (15-21") diurnal Bird of Prey, about the size of a large crow.
DESCRIPTION	They have a dark head with a wide dark mustache mark, white throat, bluish gray above with underparts white to yellowish with black barring The sexes are similar in appearance, but the females are larger and darker than the males.
NESTING	Clutch size ranges from 2-4 eggs, which are incubated in 28 to 34 days. The usual nesting site is a scrape on a ledge, high on a cliff or in a crevice. They generally return to the same nesting territory year after year. Peregrines generally mate for life, however, if a member of the dies or disappears, the surviving falcon will accept a replacement mate. Peregrine falcons are aggressive in defense of their nests, attacking birds and mammals that are much larger than themselves.
RANGE	The range of Peregrine Falcon is worldwide, except for cold Arctic regions and the rainforests.
HABITAT	Peregrine Falcons prefer open habitats, such as grasslands, tundra, and meadows. They can now be found in large cities and other urban areas because of the suitable nesting site provided by the tall buildings, and the large quantity of pigeons available for prey.
DIET	Peregrines feed almost exclusively on birds, but they occasionally hunt small mammals. Insects and reptiles make up a very small proportion of their diet. In the cities, their diet mainly consists of pigeons.
SPECIAL	In the 60s and 70s, these birds suffered from the effects of DDT, but since the banning of these pesticides, the numbers of Peregrine Falcons have gradually increased.

INTERESTING FACTS

Altricial Birds

Some animals are born in a relatively undeveloped, helpless state and very dependant on their parents for survival, e.g. tree nesting birds such as a songbird or a hawk. When altricial birds are hatched, they are completely helpless with nearly naked bodies and closed eyes. These baby birds require round-the-clock attention from their parents for food, warmth, shelter, and protection from. They also require a large supply of high protein food; this baby bird feed differs greatly in the different types of birds. A songbird baby may need insects where a hawk or owl may feed their young chunks of meat, torn from freshly caught prey. This attention is required until the birds become fledglings and are ready to leave the nest.

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The images on this web page are copyrighted © 2003 - 2007 by Bruce Dayton. I want to share my photos to promote conservation and to help people identify and learn about the birds and other creatures that live with us on the North American continent. Please do not use any of my work in any non-profit or for-profit project without first getting written permission from me. You can ask for permission by emailing me at webmaster@wildlifeofnorthamerica.info. All reproductions must bear an appropriate credit.




Peregrine Falcon

Finger Lakes Exhibit - Canandaigua Ontario County, New York


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Snowflake Drawing by Louis Agassiz Fuertes