Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

The Peregrine Falcon’s habitat consists of farms, pastures, parks and city centres.

The Peregrine Falcon has a distinctive black hood, white neck, blue-black upper parts and yellow around the eyes and base of the beak. Their wingspan is between eighty-one-hundred centimetres and are normally thirty-five to fifty centimetres in length.

This species of bird is the fastest in the world, with recorded speeds of up to three-hundred kilometres per hour. They are birds of prey and feed on small and medium sized birds such as pigeons, and other small animals active during the day.

Male and female Peregrine Falcons mate for life and create nests in the ledges of cliff faces or high-rise buildings. Females roost, while the male hunts and feeds his companion. Peregrine falcons are also dedicated parents and hunt food for their young. Their children, once mature, often return to their birthplace to raise their own young.