- Also called:
- duck hawk
- Related Topics:
- American peregrine falcon
- Falco
- On the Web:
- The Cornell Lab of Ornithology - All About Birds - Peregrine Falcon (Oct. 17, 2026)
Peregrine falcon
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What is a peregrine falcon?
The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a widely distributed bird of prey with breeding populations on every continent except Antarctica and many oceanic islands. Sixteen subspecies are recognized.
Adult peregrines are strong, fast fliers, ranging from about 36 to 49 cm (14.2 to 19.3 inches) in length. They are bluish gray above, with black bars on their white to yellowish-white underparts. They are known to reach speeds of over 300 km (186 miles) per hour while diving, making them the worldâs fastest animal. They strike their prey with clenched talons and kill on impact.
Peregrine falcons eat around 70â154 grams (2.5â5.4 ounces) daily, which is about 10 percent of their body weight. They hunt ducks, songbirds, shorebirds, bats, fish, large insects, and small mammals in open, rocky areas near water.
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Where can peregrine falcons be found in the world?
The peregrine falcon is the world's most widely distributed bird of prey. Breeding populations exist on every continent except Antarctica, as well as on many oceanic islands. The peregrine falcon is known for its diving speed, which can reach over 300 km (186 miles) per hour, making it the worldâs fastest animal.
Peregrines inhabit open, rocky areas near water where birds are abundant. They typically nest on cliffside ledges, but some populations nest on city skyscrapers or in tree nests built by other bird species.
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What do peregrine falcons eat?
Peregrine falcons are known for their incredible diving speed, which they use to strike their prey midair. They often hunt birds, but they also eat bats, fish, large insects, and small mammals. Their prey includes ducks and a wide variety of songbirds and shorebirds. Adult falcons will generally eat 70â154 grams (2.5â5.4 ounces) daily, which is roughly equivalent to the meat on two blackbirds. Falcons consume about 10 percent of their body weight each day.
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How do peregrine falcons hunt their prey?
Peregrine falcons are renowned for their hunting skills, using keen eyesight and swift flight to capture prey. They fly high and then dive at their prey, reaching speeds of over 320 km (200 miles) per hour. When attacking, they strike with clenched talons, killing their prey on impact. Their diet consists of ducks and a wide variety of songbirds and shorebirds, but they will also consume bats, fish, large insects, and small mammals. Falcons possess a hooked beak for tearing flesh and taloned feet for piercing, grasping, and killing prey. Their eyes have high resolving power, with two areas of high visual acuity, providing exceptional shape perception of moving objects.
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What adaptations help peregrine falcons fly so fast?
The peregrine falcon is renowned as the fastest animal on Earth, reaching speeds of over 300 km/h (186 mph) during its characteristic hunting dive. Several adaptations contribute to this incredible speed.
Peregrine falcons possess heavy, bullet-shaped bodies and long, pointed wings, which give them a high wing loading for remarkable diving speed. Their strong feather quills withstand the aerodynamic forces of rapid flight. They strike prey with clenched talons, killing on impact. Furthermore, their exceptional vision helps them spot and track prey from great distances.
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How have humans helped protect peregrine falcons from extinction?
After World War II, the peregrine falcon population declined due to pesticides like DDT. These chemicals thinned the birds' eggshells, leading to breakage and reduced populations.
To combat this, countries like Canada and the United States banned DDT in the early 1970s. This action was followed by vigorous captive breeding and reintroduction programs. Over 30 years, more than 6,000 captive-bred peregrines were released into the wild. These efforts enabled North American populations to recover completely. Since 1999, the peregrine falcon has not been listed as endangered.
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Peregrine falcon, (Falco peregrinus), the most widely distributed species of bird of prey, with breeding populations on every continent except Antarctica and many oceanic islands. Sixteen subspecies are recognized. The peregrine falcon is best known for its diving speed during flightâwhich can reach more than 300 km (186 miles) per hourâmaking it not only the worldâs fastest bird but also the worldâs fastest animal.
Coloration is a bluish gray above, with black bars on the white to yellowish white underparts. Adult peregrines range from about 36 to 49 cm (14.2 to 19.3 inches) in length. Strong and fast, they hunt by flying high and then diving at their prey. Attaining tremendous speeds of more than 320 km (200 miles) per hour, they strike with clenched talons and kill by impact. Their prey includes ducks and a wide variety of songbirds and shorebirds. Peregrines inhabit rocky open country near water where birds are plentiful. The usual nest is a mere scrape on a ledge high on a cliff, but a few populations use city skyscrapers or tree nests built by other bird species. The clutch is three or four reddish brown eggs, and incubation lasts about a month. The young fledge in five to six weeks.
Captive peregrine falcons have long been used in the sport of falconry. After World War II the peregrine falcon suffered a precipitous population decline throughout most of its global range. In most regions, including North America, the chief cause of the decline was traced to the pesticide DDT, which the birds had obtained from their avian prey. The chemical had become concentrated in the peregrineâs tissues and interfered with the deposition of calcium in the eggshells, causing them to be abnormally thin and prone to breakage. In the British Isles, direct mortality from another pesticide, dieldrin, was the most important cause of the decline. Following the banning or great reduction in the use of most organochlorine pesticides, populations have rebounded in virtually every part of the world and now exceed historical levels in many regions.
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The American peregrine falcon (F. peregrinus anatum), which once bred from Hudson Bay to the southern United States, was formerly an endangered species. It had completely vanished from the eastern United States and eastern boreal Canada by the late 1960s. After Canada had banned DDT use by 1969 and the United States by 1972, vigorous captive breeding and reintroduction programs were initiated in both countries. Over the next 30 years, more than 6,000 captive progeny were released to the wild. North American populations recovered completely, and since 1999 the peregrine has not been listed as endangered. The peregrine has been listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2015.