2009 July 20 « Purr-Fect Cat

Hi, I’m Sinclair. The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world. It can reach up to 200 mph when diving for food. The peregrine can be found from the Arctic to the Tropics. It nests on cliff edges and more recently has been discovered on tall buildings in large cities. It is the most widespread bird of prey in the world.

The peregrine has a body length 13-23 inches and a wing span of 31-47 inches. The wings are bluish black to slate gray. The tail has a black tip with a white band. The under body is white with bands of black or brown. The head is black and the throat is white. The upper beak is notched near the tip allowing it to sever the spinal cord of it’s prey.

The falcon feeds on medium sized birds including pigeons which can be found in cities. It will also feed on rodents and insects. The peregrine will hunt at dawn and dust when it’s prey is most active. It searches for it’s prey high above and when spotted starts it’s dive. It has bony tubercles in it’s nostrils and a third eyelid to protect it from the wind. Prey is usually caught and killed in mid-air and plucked before eaten.

The peregrine became an endangered species from the 50’s to the 70’s due to use of pesticides especially DDT. With the ban on these pesticides, the peregrine population started to increase.

The peregrine has been used in falconry for over 3000 years. It has also been used to scare birds away at airports to minimize bird strikes. In World War II, it was used to intercept homing pigeons.

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Peregrine Falcon