Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinusOrder: FALCONIFORMES Family: Falcons (Falconidae)

Codes: Common Name: PEFA Scientific Name: FALPER ITIS Taxonomic No.: 175604

Breeding Location:

Open landscapes, Rocky cliffs

Breeding Type:

Monogamous, Solitary nester

Breeding Population:

Common to fairly common on tundra

Egg Color:

White or buff, heavily marked with brown and red

Number of Eggs:

2 - 6

Incubation Days:

28 - 32

Egg Incubator:

Female

Nest Material:

Debris on ledge.

Migration:

Migratory

General

Peregrine Falcon: Medium-sized, robust falcon with blue-gray upperparts, plain breast, and heavily barred sides, belly, and leggings. Head has a black hood and sideburns. Western race has darker underparts. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has brown upperparts and streaked underparts.

Range and Habitat

Peregrine Falcon: Breeds from Alaska and the Canadian arctic south locally through the mountainous west, and sparingly in the east. Spends winters on coasts north to British Columbia and Massachusetts. Preferred habitats include tundra, savannas, coasts, mountains, and tall buildings.

Breeding and Nesting

Peregrine Falcon: Two to six buff or white eggs, heavily marked with brown and red, are laid in a nest, often built by other species, set high on a cliff or tall building. Incubation ranges from 28 to 32 days and is carried out by the female.

Foraging and Feeding

Peregrine Falcon: Preys mostly on birds, including doves, pigeons, shorebirds, waterfowl, and passerines; also eats small reptiles and mammals. Often soars to hunt, diving to stun its prey in midair.

Vocalization

Peregrine Falcon: Call is a rasping "kack-kack-kack-kack", usually given at the nest.

Similar Species

Peregrine Falcon: Merlin is smaller, has a less-distinct moustache stripe and more strongly barred tail. Prairie Falcon has black underwing patch and lacks strong moustache stripe. Gyrfalcon is larger with broader wings and tail, and lacks the bold moustache stripe.

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon: Medium robust falcon with blue-gray upperparts, plain breast, heavily barred sides, belly, and leggings. Head has a black hood and sideburns. Yellow fleshy eye ring. Yellow legs and feet. Feeds primarily on birds which it takes in midair after a steep, swift dive from above them.

● Song: "kack-kack-kack-kack"

● Foraging & Feeding: Peregrine Falcon: Preys mostly on birds, including doves, pigeons, shorebirds, waterfowl, and passerines; also eats small reptiles and mammals. Often soars to hunt, diving to stun its prey in midair.

● Breeding & nesting: Peregrine Falcon: Two to six buff or white eggs, heavily marked with brown and red, are laid in a nest, often built by other species, set high on a cliff or tall building. Incubation ranges from 28 to 32 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Peregrine Falcon: Merlin is smaller, has a less-distinct moustache stripe and more strongly barred tail. Prairie Falcon has black underwing patch and lacks strong moustache stripe. Gyrfalcon is larger with broader wings and tail, and lacks the bold moustache stripe.

Flight Pattern

Direct flight with rapid wing beats.

● Range & Habitat: Peregrine Falcon: Breeds from Alaska and the Canadian arctic south locally through the mountainous west, and sparingly in the east. Spends winters on coasts north to British Columbia and Massachusetts. Preferred habitats include tundra, savannas, coasts, mountains, and tall buildings.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationCommon to fairly common on tundra

^MigrationMigratory

^Weight20.8 Ounces

Underparts

Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.

Upperparts

Back, rump, hindneck, wings, and crown.

Belly

The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.

Breast

The upper front part of a bird.

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

Field Guide to Birds of North America