They will occasionally also catch mammals such as rabbits and, in times of extreme weather conditions, carrion. Peregrine falcons mostly feed on birds they have captured in flight including species such as feral pigeons, woodpigeons, blackbirds, starlings and black-headed gulls. The name ‘peregrine’ actually means ‘wanderer’ or ‘pilgrim’.
These birds can fly as many as 15,500 miles every year!Īway from the nest, peregrine falcons are usually solitary and may travel widely. Some European peregrines spend the winter in Africa while some Arctic birds travel to South America. More northerly populations are migratory. Do peregrine falcons migrate?īritish and Irish peregrine falcons are present all year round, though females and juvenile may move away from upland areas during the autumn. Tower blocks, bridges and cathedrals offer the perfect urban alternative to high cliffs, while feral pigeons and starlings provide a reliable source of food. Peregrine falcons live mostly in open country, hunting over marshes, estuaries and agricultural land.ĭuring the breeding season, they make their nests on crags and rock faces including sea cliffs, quarries and, increasingly, buildings in urban areas. Juvenile peregrines look slightly different to the adults with dark brown plumage, streaks on the underside of their body and pale tips to their feathers. The crown of the head is dark, and they have a black ‘moustache’ which gives them a hooded expression. Their pale breast is spotted, and the undersides of their wings are barred with dark stripes. They have long, bluntly pointed wings and a relatively short tail, with dark blue wings and head. Peregrine falcons are one of the largest and most powerful species of falcon. However, peregrine falcons have a history of persecution, which has pushed them to the very edge of extinction before now though they are currently listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They are also one of the most adaptable and can thrive in urban areas surrounded by humans. Peregrine falcons are the fastest creatures on the planet, reaching speeds of over 321 kph (200 mph) as they dive to catch their prey.
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