Peregrine Falcon

Danish: Vandrefalk Swedish: Pilgrimsfalk Norwegian: Vandrefalk Icelandic: Förufalki

Faroese: Ferdafalkur Greenlandic: Kiinaaleeraq Finnish: ? German: Wanderfalke

French: Faucon pèlerin Spanish: Halcón comuún Italian: Falco pellegrino Arabic: Shaheen

Adult peregrine falcon. (Photo: Søren Skarby)

Physical Characteristics: Size: middlesized - large falcon. Weightrange: female 740-1120 g, male 550-660 g; the largest race being F. p. paelei and the smallest being F. p. radamus. Build: compact Wings and tail: relatively short tail and long pointed wings Wingspan: 80-117 cm Colours: juvenile has brown back and white/creamy underside with irregular spots. The adult is more blue or grey on the back and spots on the underside has a more regular 'barred' appearance. Voice: 'hek-hek-hek', 'kwaahk-kwaahk', 'witchiw-witchiw' Easily confused with: Sakerfalcon, gyrfalcon, lannerfalcon, european hobby, eleonorafalcon

Range and migration: With its eighteen races it covers all parts of the world. F. p. peregrinus: Europe, northern Russia and south to the Mediterranean and Caucasus. F. p. calidus: northern Russia, northern Siberia, Lapponia. Migrates as far south as Southern Africa and New Guinea. F. p. japonensis: east Siberia, Kurile Islands. Migrates to Japan, Riu Kiu and Taiwan. F. p. brookei: Mediterranean area, from Spain and Morocco to Caucasus. F. p. pelegrinoides: (barbary falcon) North Africa. F. p. babylonicus: (red-naped shaheen) The central deserts and steppes of Asia, from Iraq and Iran to Mongolia. Migrates to India. F. p. peregrinator: (black-naped shaheen) From India and Sri Lanka to China and Taiwan. F. p. minor: Africa south of Sahara. F. p. paelei: (Peale's falcon) From North Kurile Islands, Aleutians to Queen Charlotte Islands. Migrates to California. F. p. anatum: North America. Migrates to Central and South America. F. p. cassini: Chile, from Atacama go Tierra del Fuego and the Falklands. F. p. macropus: Australia, except the south-west. F. p. submelanogenys: South-western Australia. F. p. madens: Cape Verde Islands. F. p. radama: Madagascar and Comoro Islands. F. p. fruitii : Volcano Islands. F. p. ernesti: Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea. F. p. nesiotes: New Hebrides, Loyalty Island, New Caledonia.

Population: Has declined greatly in the 20th century, due to DDT, loss of habitat and shooting. This brought the peregrine near extinction in many parts of the world, but a conservation effort has put a stop to this. Thousands of peregrines have been breed in captivity, most of them from falconry birds, and have been released into the wild with great success. Most projects have been launched with the help of falconers or intirely by falconers. In this part of the world peregrines have been released in such projects in Germany and Sweden. The peregrine populations are now growing constantly all over the world. In some parts (Great Britain) even to numbers greater than at any other time in this century.

Habitat: The peregrine, by occuring in all continents with various geographical characteristics, have prooved itself as the most successful bird in the world. Its supreme skills in the air gives it the possibility of living in practically all sorts of habitat. They are most common, however, in open country; moorland, grassland, steppes and the like. They have a preference for rocks and cliffs and will usually be found living and breeding near these.

Breeding: Rarely starts breeding before the age of two to three years. A couple usually stays together for life.
   Mating starts with the male taking stand on a suitable breeding ledge, and when spotting the female he flies out, calling until his efforts are being paid. In old couples, the male will dive at the female, and she at him, both of them screaming at each other. The male will feed the female, in a ceremony where he presents the food while bowing slowly before the female. Often he will turn his head upside down and call her.
   Copulation is frequent until the eggs are laid. The nesting place is used for many years, and is frequently old nests of ravens, buzzards and other nestbuilding birds of that size. Frequently the eggs are laid on the bare rock or ground. In the cities roofs of sky-scrabers are commonly used.
   2-5 eggs are commonly laid at intervals of 2-3 days. The young hatch after 28-29 days of incubation, and will start flying 35-42 days after hatching.
   Peregrines are very aggressive to intruders, and fears no other birds but the gyrfalcon. Even eagles are attacked if they happen to breed in the same area.

Food: Mainly birds of small races. Gamebirds, namely grouse and francolins, and pigeons, particularly the rock pigeon, are favourites where available.
   A peregrine requires food equal to 11-12% of its bodyweight in warm weather, and 15-16% in cold weather. This equals about 120-150 g a day for large arctic races, and 80-100 g in small tropical.

Hunting technique: Most quarry is taken on the wing by the direct stoop, which has become the hallmark of the peregrine, or by a long tail-chase. The prey is killed by the hit of the peregrine's large hind talon, or, if seized in the air, on the ground.