bird of the day: peregrine falcon

the peregrine falcon is a large (crow-sized) falcon found on every continent besides antartica.

not only is the peregrine falcon the fasted bird, they are the fastest animal on the planet. peregrines reach over 200mph during dives for prey.

these falcons most often prey on birds, but occasionally also eat small mammals, reptiles, and even large insects.

peregrine falcons have been used for falconry by humans for over 3000 years. they are a popular choice, and known to be skilled in retrieving gamebirds.

peregrine falcons are known to thrive in urban environments, preying off of pigeons, starlings, rats, and other abundant urban animals. they naturally nest on cliff faces, and many buildings have areas that mimic this layout for nesting sites.

throughout their range, there is quite a bit of difference in coloration. their colors vary based on what continent and area they are from.

peregrine falcons were once in danger due to use of the pesticide ddt. after bans were put in place on ddt and breeding programs restored peregrines to the wild, their numbers rebounded. they are currently rated least concern by the iucn.

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