Peregrine Falcon

TYPE:   BIRD 

RANGE: Worldwide except for Antarctica

FOOD: 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.

LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION  http://www.fws.gov/r9endspp/facts2.html http://www.fws.gov/r9endspp/perigfnt.html