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Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinusOrder: FALCONIFORMESFamily: Falcons (Falconidae)

Peregrine Falcon Portrait
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General

Peregrine Falcon: Medium-sized, robust falcon with blue-gray upperparts, plain breast, and heavily barred sides, belly, and leggings. Head has a black hood and sideburns. Western race has darker underparts. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has brown upperparts and streaked underparts.

Range and Habitat

Peregrine Falcon: Breeds from Alaska and the Canadian arctic south locally through the mountainous west, and sparingly in the east. Spends winters on coasts north to British Columbia and Massachusetts. Preferred habitats include tundra, savannas, coasts, mountains, and tall buildings.

Listen to Call

Voice Text

"kack-kack-kack-kack"

Interesting Facts

  • The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird on record when in diving posture, called a stoop, at 175 mph or more.
  • These falcons were given Endangered Species status after decimation of the population from exposure to DDT in insecticides. A successful recovery effort resulted in removal from the U.S. list in 1999.
  • The Latin name “peregrinus” means “coming from foreign parts” which is fitting because they have one of the longest migrations of any North American bird.
  • A group of falcons has many collective nouns, including a "bazaar", "eyrie", "ringing", "stooping up", and a "tower" of falcons.


Author

Gary Owen Dick

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Range Map for Peregrine Falcon
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Falco peregrinus
Length16 - 20 Inches
Wingspan44.5 Inches

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon: Medium robust falcon with blue-gray upperparts, plain breast, heavily barred sides, belly, and leggings. Head has a black hood and sideburns. Yellow fleshy eye ring. Yellow legs and feet. Feeds primarily on birds which it takes in midair after a steep, swift dive from above them.

● Song: "kack-kack-kack-kack"

● Foraging & Feeding: Peregrine Falcon: Preys mostly on birds, including doves, pigeons, shorebirds, waterfowl, and passerines; also eats small reptiles and mammals. Often soars to hunt, diving to stun its prey in midair.

● Breeding & nesting: Peregrine Falcon: Two to six buff or white eggs, heavily marked with brown and red, are laid in a nest, often built by other species, set high on a cliff or tall building. Incubation ranges from 28 to 32 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Peregrine Falcon: Merlin is smaller, has a less-distinct moustache stripe and more strongly barred tail. Prairie Falcon has black underwing patch and lacks strong moustache stripe. Gyrfalcon is larger with broader wings and tail, and lacks the bold moustache stripe.

Flight Pattern

Direct flight with rapid wing beats.
Peregrine Falcon Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Peregrine Falcon: Breeds from Alaska and the Canadian arctic south locally through the mountainous west, and sparingly in the east. Spends winters on coasts north to British Columbia and Massachusetts. Preferred habitats include tundra, savannas, coasts, mountains, and tall buildings.
BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester
PopulationCommon to fairly common on tundra
MigrationMigratory
Weight20.8 Ounces