Description
Length: 14-20m (35-51cm)
Weight: 1-2 1/4lb (0.5-1.2kg)
Migration: Migrant
Habitat: Open county from prairies to coast
Population: Scarce, but increasing
Peregrine with prey
Where Peregrine Falcons reside:
The Peregrine Falcon can be found on all continents except antarctica. They have cliff side nests, called Aeries which may be used by the same pair year after year.
What is a pip?
A pip hole is a tiny hole that the eaglet inside the egg makes with its “egg tooth” (a sharp little point at the end of its beek) in the outside shell when it first starts to hatch.
Feeding information:
Once the Peregine Falcon spots it prey, it will close it wings and swoop down on it – which consists mainly of birds, ducks, pigeons and parrots.
About the Peregrine Falcon:
The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird of prey which can fly at speeds up to 186mph and maybe even faster! Due to the widespread use of pesticides such as DDT the Peregrine Falcon was almost completely wiped out during the middle of the 20th century. This was because the Peregrine Falcon was at the summit of the food chain, which resulted in this lethal poison accumulating in their bodies, leading to a thinning of their eggshells. Fortunately the problem was detected just in time and today the falcons are not only flourishing, but are moving into major cities to breed.
What the Peregine Falcon looks like:
The head of the falcon has a helmeted pattern and also appears to have a mustache, which contrasts against its white collar and throat. The tops of their bodies are grayish-blue, while their undercarriage is barred. The wings of the Peregrine Falcon are triangular and pointed. The female is almost double the size of the male, which helps her catch larger prey. However, there are 16 different subspecies, which can vary in size and plumage.
Egg laying and incubation time:
The female peregrine falcon will usually lay 3-4 eggs. These eggs will be a little bit smaller in size than a chicken egg. The eggs have a dark, reddish-brown color. Incubation takes about 33 days. During this time the female peregrine does most of the incubating with the exception of when she goes to feed, then the male peregrine will take over for a short period of time.