   #copyright

Peregrine Falcon

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

                iPeregrine Falcon

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Falconiformes
   Family:  Falconidae
   Genus:   Falco
   Species: F. peregrinus

                                Binomial name

   Falco peregrinus
   Tunstall, 1771

   The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), sometimes formerly known in
   North America as Duck Hawk, is a medium-sized falcon about the size of
   a large crow: 38-53 cm (15 to 21 inches) long. The English and
   scientific species names mean "wandering falcon", and refer to the fact
   that some populations are migratory. It has a wingspan of about 1 metre
   (40 inches). Males weigh 570-710 grams; the noticeably larger females
   weigh 910-1190 grams.

   The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest creature on the planet in its
   hunting dive, the stoop, in which it soars to a great height, then
   dives steeply at speeds in excess of 300 km/h (185mph) into either wing
   of its prey, so as not to harm itself on impact. Although not
   self-propelled speeds, due to the fact that the falcon gathers the
   momentum and controls its dive, capture (if any) and landing in its own
   right, technically there is no faster animal. The fastest speed
   recorded is 390 km/h (242.3mph). The fledglings practice the roll and
   the pumping of the wings before they master the actual stoop.

Range, habitat and subspecies

   Peregrine Falcons live mostly along mountain ranges, river valleys, and
   coastlines and increasingly, in cities. They are widespread throughout
   the entire world and are found on all continents except Antarctica.

   There are many subspecies of Peregrine Falcon, including:
     * Falco peregrinus, the nominate mainly non-migratory race, which
       breeds over much of western Eurasia
     * F.p. anatum is mostly found in the Rocky Mountains. Although it
       used to be common throughout eastern North America, and is
       currently being re-introduced in the region, it remains uncommon in
       much of its former range. Most mature anatums, except those that
       breed in more northern areas, winter in their breeding range. It is
       a rare vagrant to western Europe.
     * F. p. brookei of southern Europe to the Caucasus is smaller and
       more rufous below that the nominate race.
     * F. p. calidus breeds in the Arctic tundra of Eurasia and is
       completely migratory and travels as far as sub-Saharan Africa. It
       is larger and paler than the nominate race.
     * F. p. madens breeds in the Cape Verde Islands and has brown-washed
       upperparts.
     * F.p. pealei is found in the Pacific Northwest of North America, and
       is non-migratory.
     * F. p. tundrius breeds in the Arctic tundra of North America but is
       migratory and travels as far as South America.
     * F. p. peregrinator (also called the Shaheen Falcon) has rufous
       underparts and is a breeding resident in South Asia.

   The Barbary Falcon, Falco (peregrinus) pelegrinoides, is often
   considered to be a subspecies of the Peregrine.

   Peregrines in mild-winter regions are usually permanent residents, and
   some birds, especially adult males, will remain on the breeding
   territory. However, the Arctic subspecies migrate; tundrius birds from
   Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland migrate to Central and South
   America, and all calidus birds from northern Eurasia move further south
   or to coasts in winter.

   Peregrine Falcons feed almost exclusively on birds, such as doves,
   waterfowl and songbirds, but occasionally they hunt small mammals,
   including bats, rats, voles and rabbits. Insects and reptiles make up a
   relatively small proportion of their diet. On the other hand, a growing
   number of city-dwelling Falcons find that feral pigeons and Common
   Starlings provide plenty of food.

   Peregrine Falcons breed at approximately two or three years of age.
   They mate for life and return to the same nesting spot annually. Their
   courtship flight includes a mix of aerial acrobatics, precise spirals,
   and steep dives. The male passes prey it has caught to the female in
   midair. To make this possible, the female actually flies upside-down to
   receive the food from the male's talons. Females lay an average clutch
   of three or four eggs in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or,
   increasingly, on tall buildings or bridges. They occasionally nest in
   tree hollows or in the disused nest of other large birds.

   The laying date varies according to locality, but is generally:
     * from February to March (in the Northern Hemisphere)
     * from July to August (in the Southern Hemisphere)

   The females incubate the eggs for twenty-nine to thirty-two days at
   which point the eggs hatch. While the males also sometimes help with
   the incubation of the eggs, they only do so occasionally and for short
   periods.

   Thirty-five to forty-two days after hatching, the chicks will fledge,
   but they tend to remain dependent on their parents for a further two
   months. The tiercel, or male, provides most of the food for himself,
   the female, and the chicks; the falcon, or female, stays and watches
   the young.

   Because of their high metabolic rates, Peregrine Falcons must consume
   more food in proportion to their size than most animals. To be
   efficient flyers, the digestive system of birds has to be both as light
   as possible and as efficient as possible. The need to keep weight as
   low as possible also means that, except perhaps prior to migration,
   there is a limit to the amount of fat the Peregrine Falcon can store.
   The respiratory system is also unique; the Peregrine Falcon maintains a
   one-way flow of air so that it can breathe while flying. This system is
   much more efficient than the more common two-way flow of air. Birds
   have two relatively small lungs, where gas exchange occurs, but the
   lungs are augmented by bellows-like air sacs, where no gas exchange
   occurs. These air sacs keep the lungs perpetually inflated, even when
   the bird is exhaling. The Peregrine Falcon also has cones in its
   nostrils to help regulate breathing at high speeds. Its circulatory
   system also needs to be exceptionally strong, because flying takes lots
   of oxygen. A bird's heart beats much faster than the human heart does,
   approximately 600-900 beats per minute.

   The average life span of a Peregrine Falcon is approximately eight to
   ten years, although some have been recorded to live until slightly more
   than twenty years of age.

Threats

   The Peregrine Falcon became endangered because of the overuse of
   pesticides, during the 1950s and 1960s. Pesticide build-up interfered
   with reproduction, thinning eggshells and severely restricting the
   ability of birds to reproduce. The DDT buildup in the falcon's fat
   tissues would result in less calcium in the eggshells, leading to
   flimsier, more fragile eggs. In several parts of the world, this
   species was wiped out by pesticides.

   Peregrine eggs and chicks are often targeted by thieves and collectors,
   so the location of their nest should not be revealed, unless they are
   protected.

Recovery efforts

   This Peregrine Falcon was found injured and survived in Olomouc
   Zoological Garden, the Czech Republic. One of activities of the
   zoological garden is a programme of helping injured birds of prey.
   Enlarge
   This Peregrine Falcon was found injured and survived in Olomouc
   Zoological Garden, the Czech Republic. One of activities of the
   zoological garden is a programme of helping injured birds of prey.

   Wildlife services around the world organized Peregrine Falcon recovery
   teams to breed them in captivity.

   The birds were fed through a chute, so they could not see the human
   trainers. Then, when they were old enough, the box was opened. This
   allowed the bird to test its wings. As the bird got stronger, the food
   was reduced because the bird could hunt its own food. This procedure is
   called hacking. To release a captive-bred falcon, the bird was placed
   in a special box at the top of a tower or cliff ledge.

   Worldwide recovery efforts have been remarkably successful. In the
   United States, the banning of DDT eventually allowed released birds to
   breed successfully. There are now dozens of breeding pairs of Peregrine
   Falcons in the northeastern USA and Canada.

   Many have settled in large cities, including London Ontario and Derby,
   where they nest on cathedrals, skyscraper window ledges, and the towers
   of suspension bridges. About 18 pairs nested in New York City in 2005.^

   These structures typically closely resemble the natural cliff ledges
   that the species prefers for nesting locations. During daytime the
   falcons have been observed swooping down to catch common city birds
   such as pigeons and Common Starlings. In many cities, the Falcons have
   been credited with controlling the numbers of such birds, which have
   often become pests, without resort to more controversial methods such
   as poisoning or hunting.

   In Virginia, state officials working with students from the Centre for
   Conservation Biology of the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg
   successfully established nesting boxes high atop the George P. Coleman
   Memorial Bridge on the York River, the Benjamin Harrison Memorial
   Bridge and Varina-Enon Bridge on the James River, and at other similar
   locations. Thirteen new chicks were hatched in this Virginia program
   during a recent year. Over 250 falcons have been released through the
   Virginia program.

   In the 53-mile long New River Gorge of West Virginia, another program
   is underway to re-establish populations by transferring "bridge chicks"
   from Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey to special nesting boxes
   mounted on the high cliffs. . Chicago also started its habitat
   protection programs with a special recognition of Peregrine Falcon by
   making it the official bird of the city.

   The Peregrine Falcon was removed from the U.S. Threatened and
   Endangered Species list on August 25, 1999. In 2003, some states began
   issuing limited numbers of falconry permits for Peregrines, due to the
   success of the recovery program.

   In the UK, there has been a good recovery of populations since the
   crash of the 1960s. This has been greatly assisted by conservation and
   protection work led by the RSPB. Peregrines now breed in many
   mountainous and coastal areas, especially in the west and north. They
   are also using some city buildings for nesting, capitalizing on the
   urban pigeon populations for food

Trivia

     * The Mediterranean Peregrine Falcon, in this context known as the
       Maltese Falcon, was the annual rent required by Holy Roman Emperor
       Charles V when he donated the Island of Malta to the Knights
       Hospitaller in 1530.
     * The Peregrine Falcon appears on the left hand side of the Coat of
       arms of the Isle of Man. The Peregrine is used owing to the
       historical importance of the bird in the Isle of Man. When Henry IV
       of England gave the Isle of Man to Sir John Stanley he made the
       condition that Sir John give two Peregrine Falcons to him, and
       furthermore to every future monarch of England on his or her
       Coronation Day. This tradition was carried out up to the Coronation
       of George IV in 1821.
     * The Peregrine Falcon has cones in its nostrils to help regulate
       breathing at high speed, and, once their use had been found, they
       were mimicked in fighter jets.
     * A Peregrine Falcon, Lucy, was filmed in the movie The Falcon and
       the Snowman.
     * In the series of children's novels, " Animorphs", the peregrine
       falcon is the favorite bird morph of Jake.
     * A Peregrine Falcon will be prominently featured on the Idaho
       quarter to be issued in 2007 as part of the United States Mint's 50
       State Quarters program.
     * Unlike Peregrine Falcons of the Northern Hemisphere, Australian
       Peregrine Falcons are non-migratory. Also, the breeding season of
       the Australian Peregrine Falcons lasts from July to November each
       year.
     * the Peregrine Falcon was declared Chicago's official city bird in
       1999 after it began making nests in the city's skyscapers

Peregrine Falcon webcams

United States

     * Utah Peregrine Falcon webcam - real time video of nesting Peregrine
       Falcons on the Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake City Utah.
     * Woodmen of the World Peregrine Falcon Webcam Webcam for the falcon
       nest at the Woodmen Tower in downtown Omaha, NE.
     * Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group
     * San Francisco Peregrine Falcon webcam - Peregrine Falcon webcam on
       33rd floor of Pacific Gas and Electric Company building in San
       Francisco, a SCPBRG site
     * Pennsylvania Peregrine Falcon webcam - DEP Falcon Cam shows a
       nesting pair in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
     * Ohio Peregrine Falcon webcam - Falcon Cam showing 16-year-old
       tiercel "Mercury" and his mate Snowball in Dayton Ohio
     * Kodak Birdcam Kodak Birdcam - Kodak Corporate website. Nesting site
       located at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY, USA. Five camera
       views, photo galleries, videos, educational materials for educators
       and teachers. Tracking falcons Mariah and her mates since 1998
     * WPC Peregrine Recovery Program Webcams for the falcon nests at the
       Gulf Tower and Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA.
     * Macomb County Peregrine webcam Webcams for the falcon nest at the
       Macomb County Building in Mount Clemens, MI.
     * Indianapolis Star Peregrine Webcam Webcams for the falcon nest at
       the Key Bank Building in downtown Indianapolis, IN.
     * Raptor Resource Project Eight falcon cams, an osprey cam, an owl
       cam, and an eagle cam. Also includes photo forum, video clips,
       educational materials, and links.
     * Boswell Energy Centre Falconcam Webcam for the falcon nest at
       Minnesota Power's Boswell Energy Centre near Cohasset, MN.

Canada

     * Peregrine Foundation live cams
     * Hamilton Nature Falcon Cam shows chicks in Hamilton, Ontario,
       Canada. Website also features galleries from previous years.

Australia

     * FrodoCam Live Peregrine Falcon webcam located in Brisbane,
       Queensland, Australia. The webcam shows nesting pair, Frodo and his
       mate Frieda. The website is active all year round, and there is
       continuous live cam coverage (both day and night) during the
       Australian breeding season (which lasts from July to
       November–December each year). There are also photo galleries and
       video footage from the 2006 breeding season, as well as from
       previous years, and also a "Frodocam Forum" page. The Australian
       Peregrine Falcon subspecies is Falco peregrinus macropus, and the
       nearby New Guinea Peregrine Falcon subspecies is Falco peregrinus
       ernesti. Both subspecies are non-migratory.

The Netherlands

     * Planet.nl, live video coverage of falcon nest at communication
       tower in De Mortel, Netherlands

Italy

     * Live Peregrine webcam at Bologna, Italy

World cams

     * a listing of Bird cams from around the world - site includes direct
       links to nests with chicks

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrine_Falcon"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
