Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus

 

 

This species was formerly represent in the education raptors and on exhibit trail by Zeus

Interesting Facts:

• Fastest animal on the planet - one was recently clocked at 247 mph in a dive! (Cheetah fastest animal on land)
• "Peregrine" means "to wander" - it has a long migration
• Closely related to the American Kestrel

Physical Dimensions:

• wing span ~3.5-4 feet
• weight ~1.5 pounds (females significantly larger)

Prey

• mostly songbirds and small geese
• also on bats and other small mammals

Hunting Techniques:

• Dives on prey from perch or while flying
  • Strikes with feet
  • pursues from behind and bites into the neck

Range:

• Found on every continent except Antarctica
• Essentially exterminated from eastern North America - slowly coming back!
• Many migrate from North to South America in the fall
• Prefers open areas for hunting - or pigeons in the city
• Found in cliffs for nesting - or has recently starting using city buildings (adaptation!)

Color:

• no sexual dimorphism (when males and females differ in coloring). Sexual dimorphism is unusual in raptors. However, size difference between males and females is very pronounced.

Reproduction:

• Nest is a shallow, unlined scrape on ledge of cliff or building (or old raven nest)
• 2-5 eggs

Conservation:

• Populations CRASHED in the 1950s to 1970's (due to DDT)
• Declared endangered until 1999
• Chicago Peregrine Project (started in 1985) is a success story. Between 1986 and 1990 there were 46 releases.

Links of Interest:

• Peregrine falcons nesting Evanston Public Library - http://www.epl.org/falconcam/

• How the Peregrines Learned to Hack the Big City (great background story with nice history of the Chicago Peregrine Project)
  http://chicagowildernessmag.org/issues/spring2005/peregrines.html

• Monitoring Peregrine Falcon's in Chicago : (and keep on clicking on 'continue' for more info ...)
  http://www.fieldmuseum.org/expeditions/mary2/about.html

• Summary of Peregrine Falcon information (pdf) assembled by Anne Marie Smith - based on Field Museum website (see above)

• Summary of Peregrine Falcon information (pdf) assembled by Steve Dome

• The Peregrinations of Harriet (Sept 2000) {"one of the 'original characters' in the long running soap opera' at the S. Wacker nesting site"}. Also see items # 5 and #11 - http://www.chicagoaudubon.org/webPDFs/2000/Compass0900.pdf

• Midwest Peregrine Society Restoration Report (1988) - http://midwestperegrine.org/downloadpdfs/1988pf.pdf
  (If this link doesn't work - click here to see a pdf.)
  
  
• Link to a National Geographic article about how fast Peregrine Falcons can dive
  (be SURE to watch the video at the bottom of the page!):
  http://www.extremescience.com/fastinworld.htm

• Link to a National Public Radio article about using falcons to protect vineyards from starlings (compliments of Pat Conway):
  http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112569465&sc=emaf

• 2009 Annual Report from an energy company (We Energies) that is supporting Peregrine Falcon nesting. As Ron pointed out, it has astoundingly beautiful photographs.
  
  
• BBC clip of "raptor cams" - show flying from the perspective of a peregrine falcon and then a goshawk.
  
  
• BBC clip of a raptor dive - skydivers film a peregrine falcone diving alongside to go for a lure falling nearby.
  
  
• Pigeon vs Peregrine Falcon - shows a peregrine's dive position and how a pigeon might elude a peregrine falcon.

• Peregrine Falcon Webcams
  
  
• 2014 Illinois Peregrine Report - from Mary Hennen, The Field Museum
  
  
• Link to a Scientific American video with footage of falcons flying with a camera showing their hunting strategies:
  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/camera-carrying-falcons-reveal-their-hunting-techniques/?&WT.mc_id=SA_DD_20140122#sthash.A2Gcm1pQ.dpuf