Peregrine Falcon
Angeline Brandon Period 8 5-16-16
Habitat
Open areas like the tundra, deserts, and grasslands are where most peregrine falcons live. Some even live large cities on the side of buildings. Their nests are usually off the ground in crevices on cliff ledges or tall buildings. They even live on every continent except Antarctica(Peregrine falcon2).
Movement
Some peregrine falcons migrate during winter to warmer places but others may not. They usually hunt for prey while flying, and when they spot their prey, they go in a dive that can reach up to 200 miles an hour making it the fastest living creature on Earth to catch another bird midair with their talons. Peregrine's have very good eyesight and are fast fliers. They are active during the day and spend most of their time alone except during breeding season and when they are caring for their young (Peregrine falcon2).
Body Covering
Peregrine's vary in color from a brown-like color when they are young, to a dark blue or a blue-like-grey when they are more mature and older. The underside of the bird is lighter in color, and dark markings occur everywhere on the birds' body. They have a black, helmet-like crown of feathers covers the male peregrine's head and neck. Peregrine falcons can grow to about 15 to 20 inches long. Females are 1/3 larger than male (Peregrine falcon).
Diet
Falcons are carnivores, some hunt other birds in the air and others catch animals on the ground by swooping down from perches. They eat mostly birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects (Falcons and Caracaras: Falconidae). Their main prey are live birds such as pigeons, ducks, and other water birds (Reid,44).
Reproduction
Peregrine falcons breed only once a year. They build nests on window ledges, bridges, cliff ledges, and caves to lay their eggs in. Usually, the female sits on the eggs and stays with the young while the male brings food to her and the chicks. Peregrines lay between two and four eggs, and the chicks are able to fly when they are just five or six weeks old. Young falcons depend on their parents for help with catching food for a while after they can fly. Their gestation period is 29-32 days for egg incubation(Falcons and Caracaras: Falconidae).
Adaptations
A peregrine falcon's body is designed for speed, and it is the fastest, most skillful bird of prey on Earth. It also has remarkable eyesight and hearing. The falcons are between 13.4 and 19.7 inches long from their beaks to the end of their tails. They have adapted to live almost everywhere, from the hot tropical lands to the cold coasts of the North (Falcons and Caracaras: Falconidae).
Other Info
- Peregrine Falcons have been used as hunting birds for centuries (Peregrine falcon).
- The scientific name of a peregrine falcon is Falco peregrinus (Peregrine falcon)
- Peregrine falcons most likely breed in more places in the world than any other bird (Falcons and Caracaras: Falconidae)
- A peregrine falcon can fly faster than almost every other kinds of birds (Reid,44)
- Peregrine falcons are the fastest living thing on Earth when in dive (Peregrine falcon2)
- They are one of the smallest species of raptors (past knowledge).
Work Cited
"Falcons and Caracaras: Falconidae." Grzimek's Student Animal Life Resource. Ed. Catherine Judge Allen, et al. Vol. 4: Birds: Volume 1. Detroit: UXL, 2005. 229-239. Research in Context. Web. 15 May 2016.
"Tracking Peregrine Falcons." MCT Photos. 2009. Research in Context. Web. 16 May 2016.
Peregrine Falcon." SIRS Discoverer: Animal Facts. 2015: n.p. SIRS Discoverer. Web. 19 May 2016.
Van Riper, Riper, Charles , III, and Sandra
Van Riper
. "Peregrine falcon." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2016. Web. 19 May 2016.