Falco peregrinus
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon is a striking raptor with a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head with distinctive facial markings. It has a hooked beak and powerful yellow legs with sharp talons.
Females are often darker than males but otherwise very similar in plumage. However, they are noticeably larger than males, often by up to 30%.
Juveniles have brown upperparts and streaked underparts, gradually moulting into adult plumage over their first year. Young birds are also streaked rather than barred below and have blueish (not yellow) skin around their eyes and the base of their bill.
Length
34cm to 58cm
Wingspan
74cm to 120cm
Weight
330g to 1.5kg
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Blue Grey
Secondary Colour
White Black
Beak Colour
Black Grey Yellow
Leg Colour
Yellow
Recorded as the fastest bird in level flight
Record: 389 km/h (242 mph) diving speed
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Peregrine Falcons have a nearly worldwide distribution, absent only from Antarctica. They inhabit a wide range of environments, from Arctic tundra to tropical forests and, increasingly, urban areas.
They are right at home in many modern cities where rooftops and ledges make ideal nest sites, and feral Rock Doves provide a year-round food source.
In North America, they breed across Alaska and northern Canada, with populations in the western mountains and along both coasts. European populations are found from the UK to Russia, while they also occur across Australia and New Zealand.
Sea level to 3,300 meters
Temperate, Arctic, Subtropical, Tropical
Hover over the icon next to each attribute for more information.
Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.
Peregrine Falcons primarily hunt medium-sized birds, from pigeons to ducks, catching them in mid-air with their talons. They occasionally take small mammals and bats.
They are known to feed on hundreds or even thousands of different birds, ranging in size from Hummingbirds to Snow Geese and everything in between!
These falcons employ spectacular high-speed dives to strike their prey, often plucking birds out of the sky.
Peregrine Falcons are renowned for their high-speed hunting dives, or stoops, reaching speeds over 320 km/h (200 mph). They are solitary birds, only coming together during breeding season.
These falcons exhibit strong site fidelity, often returning to the same nesting locations year after year.
Peregrine Falcons have a range of vocalisations, including a higher-pitched ‘chi chi chi’ and a loud, rapid 'kak-kak-kak' used as an alarm call or during territorial disputes.
During courtship, they produce a softer 'eechup' sound. When agitated, they may emit a high-pitched, piercing scream.
Peregrine Falcons typically form monogamous pairs, engaging in elaborate aerial courtship displays during late winter or early spring. They do not build nests but rather scrape a depression on cliff ledges or use existing structures.
Females lay 3-4 eggs, which are reddish-brown in colour. Both parents share incubation duties, which last about 29-32 days. The eggs are oval and measure about 5 cm in length.
Chicks fledge at 35-42 days old but remain dependent on their parents for several more weeks as they perfect their flying and hunting skills.
The Peregrine Falcon typically lives for 5 to 6 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 25 years.
Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.
Peregrine Falcons have made a remarkable recovery since the ban of DDT in many countries. However, they still face threats from habitat loss, illegal hunting, and collisions with man-made structures.
Ongoing conservation efforts focus on nest site protection and urban habitat management.
Duck Hawk
Adult Peregrine Falcons have few natural predators, but eggs and chicks may fall victim to large owls, eagles, and climbing mammals like raccoons.
No ratings yet - be the first to rate this bird!
Sign in to be the first to review
Peregrine Falcons are naturally diurnal birds that may hunt at any time of the day, with peaks in the morning and late afternoon. They may hunt bats in the twilight of dawn and dusk and even use artificial light to hunt at night in urban areas.
website: BirdLife International. 2021. Falco peregrinus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T45354964A206217909.
View sourcebook, 1980: John Terres, The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds