Peregrine Falcon

Overview
Peregrine Falcon: Medium robust falcon with blue-gray upperparts, plain breast, heavily barred sides, belly, and leggings. Head has a black hood and sideburns. Yellow fleshy eye ring. Yellow legs and feet. Feeds primarily on birds which it takes in midair after a steep, swift dive from above them.

Range and Habitat
Peregrine Falcon: Breeds from Alaska and the Canadian arctic south locally through the mountainous west, and sparingly in the east. Spends winters on coasts north to British Columbia and Massachusetts. Preferred habitats include tundra, savannas, coasts, mountains, and tall buildings.

The Peregrine Falcon has an enormous range extending roughly 10,000,000 square kilometers. This bird can be found in almost any part of the globe, with the exception of Antarctica. Its habitats are nearly as varied as geographic range and include forests, savannas, shrublands, grasslands, wetlands and marine environments, desert areas and even urban locations. The global population of this species is estimated to be around 10,000 to 100,000 individual birds. Currently, it is not believed that the population trends for this species will soon approach the minimum levels that could suggest a potential decline in population. Due to this, population trends for the Peregrine Falcon have a present evaluation level of Least Concern.

INTERESTING FACTS
The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest bird on record when in diving posture, called a stoop, at 175 mph or more. The Latin name “peregrinus” means “coming from foreign parts” which is fitting because they have one of the longest migrations of any North American bird. These falcons were given Endangered Species status after decimation of the population from exposure to DDT in insecticides. A successful recovery effort resulted in removal from the U.S. list in 1999. A group of falcons has many collective nouns, including a "bazaar", "eyrie", "ringing", "stooping up", and a "tower" of falcons.