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Peregrine Falcon
(Falco peregrinus)
: "Black-cheeked Falcon", "Peregrine"; misnomer: "Duck Hawk"
 German name(s): "Wanderfalke"
Size: 35-50 cm; wing span 85-100 cm
Weight: 425-750 g (male), 910-1500 g (female)
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Peregrine Falcons are relatively small raptors. They have a black
head with yellow eye-ring, white half-collar, thinly barred grey-brown
front (breast, belly and vent) and grey wings with dark-grey tips.
The tail is barred grey. The bill is grey, with a yellow
cere; the legs and
feet are yellow. The underwing pattern is barred grey-brown, similar
to the front of the body.
Females
are much larger than
males.
First-year
Peregrine Falcons have a heavily streaked front, with an
inconspicuous collar. The overall appearance is browner than an
adult's.
"Raptors"
(or "birds of prey"), most prominently, but also some species of
waders, show a pronounced
"dimorphism", i.e.
a difference between male and female birds - not just in the appearance
of the plumage, but in
other, important properties, such as size or strength.
Here we
explain why.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Peregrine
Falcon at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Peregrine Falcon is available
HERE
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Peregrine Falcons are the species with the most wide-ranging
distribution on Earth. For details on the ranges of the
currently accepted 19 races, see e.g. a field guide or
Wikipedia (also the more detailed
range map).
Basically, the only areas - apart from Antarctica, Iceland,
most of Greenland and other far-northern islands - where they
do NOT occur are the greater Amazon basin and Mato Grosso,
the major deserts (Sahara, Gobi, central Arabia) and inland
areas of central western Africa.
In Europe three races of Peregrine Falcons are present.
Around the Mediterranean Sea, southward of the Pyrenees,
the Alps and the river Danube, race "brookei" is found.
Nominate race "peregrinus" populates the British Isles
(except East Anglia), south-western central Europe,
the coastal fringe of the Netherlands and Germany,
but also the Atlantic coast of southern Sweden and
of Norway, and most of the Danube valley.
They are also found from northern Sweden, via northern
Finland into mid-latitude eastern Europe.
Along the northern coastal fringe of Scandinavia and
European Russia race "calidus" is found.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "peregrinus"
J. Pires reports spotting a Peregrine Falcon,
nominate race
"peregrinus",
near Mora, Evora, Portugal, in December 2018.
G. Normand found a Peregrine Falcon, race
"peregrinus",
at Pointe du Raz, Bretagne, France, in August 2020.
Race "macropus"
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Photos |
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Race "peregrinus"
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ADULT |
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Near-frontal view of a Peregrine Falcon on a coastal rock
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Pointe du Raz, Bretagne, France, August 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a Peregrine Falcon perched on a power pole
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2018]
Sequence of photos showing a Peregrine Falcon, seen in difficult
light conditions, carrying away its prey
(photos courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2018]
Race "macropus"
We have taken photos of
Peregrine Falcons, race "macropus", in
Australia.
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Food, Diet |
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All raptors are carnivores. Peregrine Falcons prey on smaller
birds, up to the size of pigeons or ducks, which they take in
flight.
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More Peregrine Falcon sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
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These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
are welcome.