The back and the long pointed wings of the adult are usually bluish black to slate grey with indistinct darker barring (see "Subspecies" below) the wingtips are black. The standard linear measurements of peregrines are: the wing chord measures 26.5 to 39 cm (10.4–15.4 in), the tail measures 13 to 19 cm (5.1–7.5 in) and the tarsus measures 4.5 to 5.6 cm (1.8–2.2 in). In most subspecies, males weigh less than 700 g (25 oz) and females weigh more than 800 g (28 oz), and cases of females weighing about 50% more than their male breeding mates are not uncommon. The male and female have similar markings and plumage but, as with many birds of prey, the peregrine falcon displays marked sexual dimorphism in size, with the female measuring up to 30% larger than the male. The peregrine falcon has a body length of 34 to 58 cm (13–23 in) and a wingspan from 74 to 120 cm (29–47 in). Royal National Park, New South Wales, Australia It has also been used as a religious, royal, or national symbol across multiple eras and areas of human civilization.ĭescription Falco peregrinus. It is effective on most game bird species, from small to large. The peregrine falcon is a well-respected falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability, high trainability, versatility, and availability via captive breeding.
Since the ban on DDT from the early 1970s, populations have recovered, supported by large-scale protection of nesting places and releases to the wild. The peregrine falcon became an endangered species in many areas because of the widespread use of certain pesticides, especially DDT.
Reaching sexual maturity at one year, it mates for life and nests in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or, in recent times, on tall human-made structures.
Īlthough its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, the peregrine will sometimes hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects. They are only about 0.6–0.8% genetically differentiated. The two species' divergence is relatively recent, during the time of the last ice age, therefore the genetic differential between them (and also the difference in their appearance) is relatively tiny. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies, which vary in appearance and range disagreement exists over whether the distinctive Barbary falcon is represented by two subspecies of Falco peregrinus or is a separate species, F. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon", referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. The peregrine is a highly successful example of urban wildlife in much of its range, taking advantage of tall buildings as nest sites and an abundance of prey such as pigeons and ducks.
In fact, the only land-based bird species found over a larger geographic area is not always naturally occurring, but one widely introduced by humans, the rock pigeon, which in turn now supports many peregrine populations as a prey species. This makes it the world's most widespread raptor and one of the most widely found bird species. It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand. The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. As is typical for bird-eating (avivore) raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males.
Peregrine falcon totem tv#
According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph). It can reach over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus), also known simply as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a cosmopolitan bird of prey ( raptor) in the family Falconidae.
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