This is a post Lindsay calls "MOS," standing for More of the Same. Peregrine Falcons are one of our favorite birds so I want to show you many images of the handsome one used by EarthQuest during Raptor Fest.
The word "peregrine" means "wanderer" or "pilgrim," and these falcons occur all over the world as is obvious from the range map.
In North America they breed in open landscapes with cliffs or skyscrapers or under bridges. They can be found nesting at elevations as high as 12,000 feet, as well as along rivers and coastlines or in cities, where the local Rock Pigeon populations offer a reliable food source. They inhabit all continents except Antarctica.
They eat mostly birds, of an enormous variety - 450 North American species have been documented as prey (including bats), and the number worldwide may be as many as 2,000!
People have trained falcons for hunting for thousands of years, and the Peregrine Falcon was always one of the most prized birds
Their "trained" bird took off and went up into a nearby tree and since she had been fed treats in the earlier free-flying bird show she wasn't hungry. She stayed up in the tree for almost 30 minutes, ignoring the lure being used to entice her to return to her perch.
Once she had left the show in Nashville, TN and over the next 12 days had meandered 450 miles and ended up in Louisville, KY! She chased a pigeon into the hallway of a police station and was captured and since she has a GPS tag on her leg she was returned to the show.
Lift off!
They are VERY fast fliers, averaging 30-35 mph in traveling flight.
They typically reach speeds of almost 70 mph in direct pursuit of prey.
They will soar very high and when they spot prey they drop from their location in a spectacular stoop (dive) which has been clocked at over 230 mph and one study has that speed at 270 mph!
They are truly spectacular birds !
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