Carnivore - other birds, such
as pigeons, gulls, ducks,
small mammals, reptiles,
insects
PREDATORS:
Humans - insecticides such as DDT
HABITAT:
Mountains, river valleys, coasts, cliffs, on occasion skyscrapers
Photo: Gerald and Buff Corsi
DESCRIPTION
The word “peregrine” means wanderer.
A peregrine falcon is one of the fastest birds. It
can reach speeds of 250 miles per hour when it dives.
Peregrine falcons were an endangered species. There
were never a lot of them but for a while there were very few. This was because there was
too much of the chemical DDT in their bodies. It made their eggshells thin and weak. Many
babies did not hatch. The DDT came from eating other birds which had eaten insects or
seeds poisoned with DDT. Now DDT has been outlawed in the U.S.
They are supreme hunters and have been kept by
humans as hunting birds.
