View: peregrine Falco peregrinus
Family: falcons
Squad: Diurnal Predators
Class: Birds
Type: chordates
Subtype: Vertebrates
Dimensions:
The length of the bird is 34-50 cm
Weight - males - 440-750 g, females - 910-1500 g
Lifespan: up to 15 years

Peregrine falcon is the fastest bird and the fastest living creature on Earth, capable of speeds up to 389 km/h

The fastest bird, the fastest living creature on Earth - all these epithets deservedly went to a modest representative of the falcon family. The size of an ordinary crow, the peregrine falcon is an unsurpassed hunter, developing a speed of 389 km / h in a dive. Keen eye, lightning-fast throw, and the victim chosen by this virtuoso feathered predator, there is no chance of salvation.

Habitat

A true cosmopolitan, the peregrine falcon feels great both in the sky of the Arctic tundra, and under the scorching sun of Africa, and in the open spaces of the middle lane. However, he avoids open spaces, you will not see him in the desert, the predator and the humidity of tropical forests do not favor him. The only place where the falcon has not even tried to settle is New Zealand. It nests on rocks and trees, but always where it is difficult to reach both man and his natural enemies.

Characteristic

An ideal hunter, peregrine falcon is a bird of speed, for which he is appreciated by all hunters of the world. Among feathered predators there is no more cunning and ruthless catcher than the peregrine falcon. Gliding slowly high in the sky, he watches the birds flying far below him. A swift dive with a gray shadow, a blow of powerful paws, and prey in the "pocket".

Interesting! Developing a phenomenal speed, the peregrine falcon does not suffocate in flight due to the special structure of the nasal septum. It slows down the incoming air flow, and the falcon does not even notice that it is rushing at the speed of a supersonic fighter.

Appearance

If you look at the peregrine falcon bird photo, it is obvious that this is a large representative of the falcon family.

• He has a strong physique, characteristic of active predators. The muscular relief is clearly visible even under the cover of the wings. Broad chest and strong paws inspire respect.
• The bird is painted in a peculiar way. The upper plumage, tail and back are cast in slate-gray shades, with a transition to black tones. The chest can be pinkish-white, yellow, grayish-white, it all depends on the habitat of the peregrine falcon. Throughout the plumage are transverse thin dark streaks.
• Females are about a third larger than males.
• At the tip of the beak there are sharp teeth, with the help of which the peregrine falcon easily bites the victim's cervical vertebrae.
• Dark brown keen eyes are bulging and surrounded by a ring of bare yellowish skin.
• The tail is narrow and long, slightly rounded at the end.
• The head and beak are black, the throat and lower part of the head are painted in light colors, from white to red.

Interesting! Young peregrine falcons are less imposingly colored than adults. Their feathers are brown, with a barely noticeable ocher, and the lower part of the body is light, with mottles located not transversely, but longitudinally.

Compare for yourself, the peregrine falcon photo and description, and you will clearly see all the shades of its plumage and a beautifully outlined head.

Key Features

Peregrine falcons are fearless and quick-witted. They easily take root in cities, hunting pigeons and jackdaws. Skilled hunters, peregrine falcons are no less formidable defenders of their territory. A pair of falcons can easily drive away a medium-sized four-legged predator, and it will not be good for a big one when the mother defends her chicks. As a true predator, Falco peregrinus does not hesitate to destroy the nests of other birds.

Birds are well trained and have long been used by people in falconry. A good peregrine falcon hunter is quite expensive, but a person gets no less pleasure from contemplating his skillful work.

Nutrition

Food has its own preferences. Birds do not eat heads, legs and wings of prey. Ornithologists note that peregrine falcon nests are always surrounded by the remains of birds, according to which scientists determine what the owner of the nest eats.

Nesting

Tall trees, rocks, buildings are the main places for arranging nests. It is very rare to find a peregrine falcon nest on the ground. The main condition for building a nest is inaccessibility to enemies and a well-visible space around it.

Birds are ready to build a pair and breed already upon reaching one year, but more often mating occurs at the age of 2-3 years.

Interesting! Peregrine falcons are monogamous, and pair for life.

They are staunch adherents of the territorial factor. Entire dynasties of birds can live in one area. Despite the large population, the distance between the nests remains within 2-6 kilometers. When choosing a nesting site, the peregrine falcon prefers an area with a waterway. It can be a lake, a mountain river, a small channel, but it must be.

The peregrine falcon has been used as a hunting bird since ancient times. In Persia, Indochina, in the Middle East, raptors were very expensive, and only noble and wealthy people could afford falconry. In the modern world, the addiction to hunting with a falcon has not gone away, but keeping a bird is costly and requires special rules to be observed.

The bird must not be kept in a cage. For a peregrine falcon, it is necessary to build an aviary covered with a net, with several dry trees and a shelf for rest. If you decide to keep a bird in an apartment, buy a large cage where he can spread his wings freely.

Important! In nutrition, it is important that the bird receives unprocessed food. For normal digestion, it is necessary that feathers and entrails of game, tails and hair of rodents get into the stomach of a falcon.

Teaching a falcon to hunt on command is not easy. There are not many specialists in falconry. In addition, it is difficult to find accessories for a predator. A headband, a decoy, a glove cannot be bought just like that. It will be necessary to order them in the countries of Central Asia or from other professionals who are purposefully engaged in falconry.

You can see the grace and swiftness of the flight of the peregrine falcon, consider it in all its glory and look at some moments of the hunt in this video:

Detachment - Predator birds

Family - falcons

Genus/Species - Falco peregrinus

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Length: 40-50 cm.

Wingspan: 92-110 cm.

Weight: male 600-750 g, female 900-1300 g.

BREEDING

Puberty: from 3 years old.

Nesting period: March-May, depending on the region.

Masonry: once a year.

Masonry size: 2-4 eggs.

Incubation: 30-35 days.

Feeding chicks: 35-42 days.

LIFESTYLE

Habits: peregrine falcons keep in pairs.

Food: mostly other birds.

Lifespan: up to 20 years old.

RELATED SPECIES

Subspecies differ in size. The largest subspecies of the peregrine falcon live in the Arctic, the smallest in the deserts.

Peregrine falcon hunting. Video (00:02:03)

Falcon hunting

The peregrine falcon (see photo) is one of the most dexterous bird hunters. For this reason, it has long been persecuted by falconers who devastated peregrine falcon nests. As a result, its population has sharply decreased.

WHERE Dwells

The peregrine falcon's favorite hunting ground is open areas, such as peat bogs, steppes and semi-deserts. In Central Europe, the peregrine falcon inhabits mainly mountainous areas. It arranges nests on sheer rock walls in river valleys or in old quarries. In winter, the peregrine falcon settles near large reservoirs, where it hunts the birds that live there -. The specific name of the peregrine falcon in Latin means "wanderer" or "pilgrim". The peregrine falcon can also be seen during its journey to wintering grounds and back, near lakes and estuaries. In Central Europe, only young peregrine falcons are migratory, while old ones are settled. Birds from the northern regions migrate over long distances.

SAPSAN AND MAN

Feathered predators such as the peregrine falcon are at the top of the food chain. It was proved that along the food chain (insects - small birds - feathered predators), toxic components of DDT and other pesticides accumulated in the body of the peregrine falcon, affecting its reproductive system (the proportion of fertilized eggs fell) and calcium metabolism (the egg shell became thinner and cracked). This caused a reduction in the number of peregrine falcons. Measures taken in the 60-70s of the last century to preserve birds of prey and the ban on the use of DDT had a positive effect on its populations.

The peregrine falcon has long been tamed for use as a game bird in falconry. Not all birds of the falcon family can be taught to hunt certain types of animals. For example, it got its name back when falcons were judged only by whether they were suitable for hunting.

BREEDING

Peregrine Falcons mate for life. As a rule, they nest on hard-to-reach rock ledges or rocky ledges. The nest is quite spacious, parents and chicks are placed in it, it is reliably protected from predators. These falcons do not make nests, on the ground they lay their eggs in shallow pits scratched by their claws, while on the trees they occupy the nests of other birds. Females start laying eggs as early as the end of March. Most often, 2-4 red-brown eggs with red dots are laid. Hatching begins only when all the eggs have been laid. Both parents take care of the chicks.

FOOD AND HUNTING

The peregrine falcon feeds mainly on birds. In winter, these birds inhabit the territories around the mouths of the rivers and prey mainly on gulls and. Most of the peregrine falcon victims are caught in the air. Noticing the victim, he makes a sharp acceleration and in a diving flight rushes to the prey, grabs it by the neck, crushing the cervical vertebrae. With small prey, he flies to the nest, and kills large birds in the air and lowers them to the ground. The peregrine falcon eats about 100 g of feed per day. During the period of raising and feeding the chicks, his needs grow. The hunting territory of the falcon ranges from 40 to 200 km2. Peregrine falcons very rarely prey on mammals, however, even rabbits sometimes become their victims.

Peregrine falcon sightings

The best time to watch peregrine falcons is during the nesting season. At this time, the birds do not fly far from the nest. Falcons circle high in the sky, either rapidly flapping their wings or soaring in a smooth flight. In size, peregrine falcons are somewhat larger than domestic pigeons. This bird is easily distinguished in flight by its strong body, long pointed wings and relatively short tail. At other times, peregrine falcons can be observed near the mouths of rivers or near other large bodies of water, where they hunt ducks and other birds. A certain sign of the presence of a peregrine falcon is the disturbing voices and swift, unexpected flights of birds frightened by this falcon.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Sung in Ukrainian and Russian songs, the real falcon, which is often also called the "peregrine falcon", lives in many parts of the world. It can be found from the polar cliffs of Scandinavia and Taimyr in the north to the fjords of Tierra del Fuego in the south. Falcons build nests on cliff eaves or in abandoned crow nests and. They feed mainly on birds (waders, crows, gulls, terns and ducks, less often - geese), which they grab on the fly. In pursuit of prey, the peregrine falcon at the time of a dive can reach tremendous speeds! The maximum recorded speed of a peregrine falcon at its peak is 389 km/h! Not every plane flies with such speed! This record was recorded in 2005.

Human persecution and the immoderate use of pesticides in agriculture have led to the fact that this beautiful bird has become rare everywhere or has completely disappeared. Only peregrine falcons of the Arctic were lucky. In the North, the falcon is called the goose shepherd and not without reason: wild geese willingly settle near its nests. After all, he does not hurt anyone on earth. But no one can withstand the crazy attacks of falcons in the sky!

• During World War II, peregrine falcons were killed because they preyed on carrier pigeons that carried military messages.
• The male peregrine falcon is almost a third smaller than the female, in addition, it is distinguished by dark plumage at the top of the head, on the sides of which dark "whiskers" clearly stand out.
• This falcon has large eyes and sharp eyesight. The peregrine falcon can recognize its prey even from a height of 300 meters.
• Peregrine falcons have long been used for hunting. Nowadays, hunting with a falcon is only a sport.
• The peregrine falcon is threatened with extinction. The population of these birds is steadily decreasing.

Mating Flight of the Peregrine Falcon

In the first part of the mating flight, the peregrine falcon passes prey to the female. The female at this time flies down the ridge and takes the prey from the claws of the male.

- Where the peregrine falcon lives permanently
- Wintering grounds
- Nesting sites

WHERE Dwells

The distribution area is significant: from the Arctic to South Asia and Australia, from the western part of Greenland almost throughout North America.

PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION

Pairs nesting in life-threatening areas are protected. In Europe today there are about 5000 bred pairs.

Peregrine falcon. Video (00:02:23)

The peregrine falcon hunts with the speed of lightning: having spotted prey during a leisurely hover, it builds up directly above it and rapidly, almost vertically at an angle, falls on it from above. From a strong blow, the unfortunate victim often loses his head. If she managed to stay on her shoulders, the bird of prey breaks the poor fellow's neck with her beak or uses her sharp claws.

Falconry with peregrine falcon. Video (00:03:22)

Falconry, birds of prey - in this video you can see how a hunter catches game with a falcon, or rather a falcon catches for his master.

Peregrine falcon. The fastest bird in the world. Video (00:03:53)

The fastest animal on Earth is the Peregrine falcon. In a dive, he reaches an incredible speed - 90 m / s (over 320 km / h). In 2005, a record was registered - a peregrine falcon diving at a speed of 389 km / h. He falls on the victim from the sky and knocks it down with a blow of clawed paws. The blow is so strong that the victim's head often comes off.
The peregrine falcon is a large falcon and in its group it is only inferior in size. The size of one wing is from 30 to 40 cm, the wingspan reaches 120 cm. The total length of the bird is from 40 to 50 cm, its weight is up to 1200 g.
It is worth noting that the peregrine falcon also has the sharpest eyesight in the world.

The peregrine falcon is a bird of prey. This bird is recognized as the fastest bird in the world and a living creature in general. Since it is capable of speeds up to 320 km / h or 90 m / second in a fall from a height onto a victim! Horizontal flight is not so fast and is only 120 km / h.

Species: Peregrine falcon

Genus: Falcons

Family: Falcons

Class: Birds

Order: Falconiformes

Type: Chordates

Kingdom: Animals

Domain: Eukaryotes

peregrine falcon anatomy

The size of the peregrine falcon is quite small - an adult reaches up to 50 cm in length, and its weight ranges from 750 g to 1.5 kg. At the same time, male peregrine falcons are smaller than females. The back, rump and wings are dark gray with gray-blue stripes, the belly is lighter, but with dark longitudinal stripes. The head and stripe running from the beak ("whiskers") are black. The beak is yellow at the base and the tip of the beak is black. 17 species of peregrine falcons are distinguished by size and types of coloring.

Peregrine falcons have rather large eyes. There is no feathering around the eyes and yellow skin around the eyes can be seen. The iris is dark brown. Vision is very good, there is a third eyelid that protects the predator's eyes.

In the region of the mandible, the bird has teeth, with the help of which the peregrine falcon can bite through the spine of the victim. On the beak itself, there are two tubercles near the nostrils, which help it breathe easily during a rapid fall, directing the air to the side. The bird also has thick and strong legs. Each finger has a sharp claw. All these features of the body structure allow the peregrine falcon to be considered the fastest and most dangerous bird of prey.

Where does the peregrine falcon live?

Peregrine falcons can be found on all continents of the planet except Antarctica.

What does the peregrine falcon eat?

The main food of peregrine falcons are medium-sized birds such as pigeons, ducks, starlings, magpies, thrushes and other species. Less commonly, it may feed on small mammals, such as hares, squirrels, ground squirrels, snakes, voles, etc.

peregrine falcon lifestyle

For most of the year, peregrine falcons lead a solitary lifestyle. Peregrine falcons choose one pair for life. Nests are built at a height. They can be located on rocky cliffs, tall trees, tall stone buildings or bridges.

Peregrine falcon video

The peregrine falcon hunts most often in the morning or in the evening, using two methods - either sitting on a perch or diving high in the sky in search of a victim. As soon as the victim is discovered, the peregrine falcon rises high above it and almost at a right angle with a lightning speed of up to 320 km / h falls on it with paws pressed to the body. The blow is crushing.

peregrine falcon breeding

When the couple is already created, the marriage period begins. Birds choose a territory that is jealously guarded from other birds. Acrobatic pirouettes begin with the transfer of food to the female in flight. The female lays eggs in April. In one clutch from 2 to 5 eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs for approximately 35 days. The eggs have a red shell with dark spots. Chicks hatch already in fluff and from the first days they eat meat. But still, at first they require heating by adults.

The female and male feed their chicks with fresh meat. A month later, the chicks are covered with feathers. But even when the chicks themselves begin to hunt, the parents still feed them, as the art of swift flight requires time and dexterity. Peregrine falcons reach puberty in a year, and pairs begin to create after 2 years of life. Life expectancy averages 15 years. These birds are listed in the Red Book.

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Domain: eukaryotes

Kingdom: Animals

Type: chordates

Class: Birds

Squad: Falconiformes

Family: falcons

Genus: Falcons

View: peregrine falcon

Description

In the family of falcons, the peregrine falcon shares the first line of popularity with the gyrfalcon. The bird is similar in size to a crow. The body length of males is about 50 cm, but females are slightly larger - about 70 cm. The weight of an adult male can reach 1 kg, and an adult female - 1.5 kg. The wingspan in flight in an adult is from 80 to 120 cm. The body of the bird is well developed. Even under the cover of feathers, muscles and a wide chest are visible.

The short tail and wide wings allow the falcon to dive and overtake the prey. Ornithologists believe that nature has created a peregrine falcon "an ideal killing machine": a sharp beak and long strong paws with clawed fingers in flight simply rip apart the victim's body. The color of the bird is also interesting. Young individuals are colored brown, and the lower part is light gray. But with age, the color intensifies and turns into a slate gray with black tints. The breast can become pinkish, yellow and gray-white. The color depends on the habitat. In addition, dark blotches are scattered throughout the plumage.

Species distribution

The peregrine falcon can rightly be called a cosmopolitan species, since, despite its rarity, it was distributed throughout the world, excluding only Antarctica. The wide distribution of the species is due to the absence of special requirements for the habitat, the main thing is that there is a place for a nest, open air space and food (other medium-sized birds). Now the range of the species is shrinking, the mass use of DDT in the 20th century brought a special damage to the world population of this predator. The peregrine falcon is a protected bird everywhere and is listed in the Red Books of many countries.

The natural habitats of the peregrine falcon are mountain landscapes. At the beginning of the 20th century, ornithologists began to register nesting pairs of peregrine falcons in large cities, where birds breed their offspring in various niches, or on the roofs of high-rise buildings. Now the increase in the number of "urban" peregrine falcons has been recorded in many cities of Western Europe and America. In Moscow, the only pair of peregrine falcons at the moment nests on the building of Moscow State University.

Subspecies

Falco peregrinus peregrinus (Tunstall, 1771)

The male has a dark gray head and fore-back, often a blackish head. The back is lighter. The forehead is slightly lighter than the vertex. "Moustache" is not wide. On the cheeks and behind the eyes, black coloration is significantly developed. The underside of the body is whitish, with a very slight yellowish or pinkish tinge, turning into a bluish coating on the sides of the body. The pattern on the underside of the body consists of medium-sized spots on the chest and larger spots on the abdomen, tear-shaped or rounded, sometimes transformed into a transverse pattern on the abdomen. On the goiter and upper chest, the pattern is reduced to one degree or another. The transverse stripes on the sides of the body are infrequent, wide and dark, blackish. The female is somewhat darker than the male. The upper side of the body is more blackish, on the underside a reddish tint is more developed. The pattern on the underside of the body is larger and coarser, and the upper part of the chest is almost always occupied by it. The wing length of males is 289-328 (304), females - 348-368 (354) mm.

Nests were found in the Southern Altai near Lake Markakol in 1958 and in Naurzum forest in 1936 (but did not nest here later), as well as in Monrak in 1975 and in Kalba near the village of Skalistoye in 1978. Flying young bird independent of parents was observed on 21 July 2001 in Bukhtarma valley near Berel village. Occasionally breeds in Zailiysky Alatau, where brood was observed on July 5, 2001 near Gorelnik. The distribution of this form during migration has not been studied.

Falco peregrinus calidus (Latham, 1790)

On average lighter than peregrinus. In males, the head and front of the back are ash-gray, slightly darker than the back of the back and shoulders, which have a bluish tinge. Frons whitish, lighter than peregrinus. The "mustache" is even narrower. On the cheeks and behind the eyes, black coloration is much less common, white and grayish-white color dominates here. The underside of the body is white with a very faint and not always available yellowish-pink tint. The sides of the body are devoid of a bluish coating or it is very poorly developed here. The transverse stripes on the sides of the body are sparse, narrow and lighter. The female is lighter, grayish above, white below with a faint yellowish-pink tint. The pattern on the underside of the body is less developed than in peregrinus, the crop and upper chest are devoid of spots, but may have dark streaks on the trunk. The wing length of males is 315-325 (319), females - 350-370 (362) mm. It occurs in Kazakhstan during the period of migrations almost everywhere.

Falco peregrinus brookei (Sharpe, 1873)

The coloration is rich and bright, with a significant development of reddish tones in the form of streaks on the back of the head and on the underside of the body. Adult birds are dark, with a blackish head with a narrow light bluish transverse pattern on the back and wings; reddish streaks on the back of the head and back of the neck; sometimes in a fresh feather, the edges of small feathers of the back and wings are reddish, the chest is reddish, the sides are grayish, dark stripes are densely located on them. In the first annual plumage, they are dark and bright, usually with strongly developed rufous edges of feathers, often with bluish or rufous transverse spots on the shoulders, greater wing coverts, tail feathers, often with a bluish tinge of plumage; the underside in a fresh feather is also strongly reddish with a wide brown pattern (on the sides it often takes on a transverse character, especially in males). It is inferior in size to the falcons of the northern group: the wing length of males is 288-312, females 320-355, on average 294.9 and 335.9 mm.

Sedentary lives in the Mediterranean, on the Iberian Peninsula, in North-West Africa, Asia Minor, in the Caucasus and the southern coast of Crimea. In Kazakhstan, it was encountered only once in the Caspian Sea on July 2, 2016.

Nutrition

These falcons mainly feed on medium sized birds including songbirds, waders, waterfowl and pigeons. According to rough estimates, almost one fifth of the total bird population falls prey to the peregrine falcon.

These feathered predators prey on hummingbirds in North America, and the sandhill crane can also be their prey. Peregrine falcons often prey on wild pigeon, woodpeckers, crows, blackbirds, black doves, American crows, common starlings, black swifts and magpies. They also do not hesitate to capture small mammals such as mice, voles, rats, shrews, squirrels and hares. These falcons usually hunt at dusk and dawn.

reproduction

These birds reach maturity on their first birthday. However, in favorable conditions, they usually breed at the age of 2-3 years.

Peregrine falcons are monogamous predators, they return to the same place every year. Feathered hunters tend to become much more territorial during the breeding season. They make nests at least 1 kilometer apart in regions with many pairs. They tend to build nests on sheer cliffs or shallow depressions where there is not even minimal vegetation.

The peregrine falcon creates a pair for life, they choose their nesting place in hard-to-reach places, such as:

• rock cornices;
• Tall trees;
• Roofs of houses or churches;

Also, they are very attached to the same nesting place, every year one and the same pair tries to occupy exactly the habitat that they occupied a year earlier. There is enough space in the habitat to accommodate chicks and two adults, and besides, it is reliably protected from enemies and predators.

The breeding season comes in May and lasts until June, in the northern regions it starts later. The male first flies to the place of dwelling. Seducing the female, he invents various pirouettes in the air, acrobatic action in the form of a spiral or clearly dives, etc.

If the female is pleased with the chosen one, she sits down to him at a short distance, which means that the pair has formed. Sitting next to each other, they mutually clean each other's feathers, gnaw their claws. During mating courtship in the air, the male often fertilizes his chosen one with the caught prey. To accept a gift, the female turns her back down on the fly, and the male at this moment passes the caught trophy to her.

These birds do not settle next to other pairs, the distance between neighbors must be at least 1200 meters, but the maximum distance between them can reach up to 2.6 km. This is due to the fact that this distance is enough to feed themselves without violating the territorial integrity of their relatives.

In this occupied area there can be up to 10 places where a pair can lay eggs, each new season they can occupy one of the mentioned places. If the birds notice people, they begin to show concern already at a distance of 350 - 500 meters to the dwelling, it is accompanied by loud and piercing sounds characteristic of falcon species. First, the male circles over people, later the female joins him, so as not to lose sight of them, from time to time they sit down next to them.

The location of the habitat directly depends on the landscape, however, in one case or another, the approach to it should be accessible and convenient. There must be a pond or river near the nesting site. If this is a rocky area, then crevices or a place on a ledge of a slope are found, where a dwelling can be located at a height of at least 30 to 85 meters.

The floor in their dwelling is not specially covered, but with repeated exploitation, it contains old feathers and bones of past victims. One of the features of this bird is a huge accumulation of bone debris around the perimeter of the nest, which accumulates over many years, as well as droppings left by the young generation.

The female lays once a year, within forty-eight hours one egg appears, if for some reason she is destroyed, she will lay eggs for the second time. More often in the clutch there are 2 or 3, less often from 2 to 5 eggs of a rusty-red color and with brown speckles.

It has dimensions of 52-53X42-44 mm. For 35 days, the female and male will incubate them, but the female incubates more often, since the male forages at this time.

After the chicks begin to hatch, at first they are helpless. For the first time in their life, their body is covered with dirty-light fluff, the limbs are disproportionate and very developed. The mother of the chicks carefully warms them and feeds them. The head of the family spends most of his time hunting, because the need for food increases every day more and more. It is capable of flying from 22 to 45 kilometers in search of prey.

After 45 days, the chicks will make their first flight from the family nest, but for some time they will be next to their parents, since they are too young at this age and do not have hunting skills, unlike their parents.

peregrine falcon hunting

The peregrine falcon cannot always catch up with a fast bird such as a wild pigeon or a black swift. The speed of their horizontal flight is approximately the same, in addition, the pigeon is much more enduring than the peregrine falcon and can fly at top speed for a longer time. In this regard, thanks to evolution, the peregrine falcon has developed an interesting way of hunting. Noticing the victim, he immediately takes a position above it and, folding his wings, rapidly flies (falls) down almost vertically.

The vertical flight speed of a peregrine falcon is 322 km/h, and in 2005 researchers set a new record of 389 km/h. This is the highest speed recorded in the animal kingdom. Therefore, the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal that lives on planet Earth.

During a free fall, the peregrine falcon's eyes are protected by a special nictitating membrane called the "third eyelid". In addition, the bird does not suffocate from air pressure due to special tubercles on the beak, which prevent direct penetration of air into the nostrils.

Attacking the victim at such a speed, the peregrine falcon beats it in flight with its claws. Moreover, the blow is so strong that not only feathers fly from the prey, but the head can easily fly off. This allows the peregrine falcon to hunt even large wild geese.

Now let's imagine that the peregrine falcon will attack the prey sitting on the ground from a height at crazy speed. Such a maneuver is dangerous for the life of the predator itself. Young peregrine falcons often sin by hitting the bird too low above the ground, missing and breaking. Trying to grab a duck above the water, the peregrine falcon can also miss and dive deep into the water. It's just that he can't get up.

peregrine falcon and human current status

On the territory of the Russian Federation

The number of peregrine falcons remains unstable and, according to ornithologists, does not exceed 2-3 thousand pairs. Since the first half of the 20th century, the peregrine falcon has disappeared from many habitual places of its former habitat or has survived in very small numbers. Due to the small number, it is protected by the Red Book of Russia, where the peregrine falcon is assigned the second category. In 1990, a nursery for breeding this bird was created in the Galichya Gora reserve. Internationally, the peregrine falcon is included in Appendix 1 of the CITES Convention (ban on trade), Appendix 2 of the Bonn Convention, Appendix 2 of the Berne Convention, and is also protected by a number of bilateral agreements.

In the USA

They continue to settle in large cities, arranging nests on cathedrals, skyscrapers, suspension bridge supports. In Virginia, as part of a special program, students managed to get birds to perch in artificial nests (67 pairs in 2008).

In Canada and Germany

Programs have also been developed for rearing young animals in enclosures with subsequent introduction into the wild. During the keeping period, in order to avoid habituation, the contact of chicks with a person is largely limited - for example, artificial feeding occurs from gloves in the form of an adult peregrine falcon head. Like American birds, birds are gradually moving to cities.

Within the UK

At the moment, the population is recovering after the collapse in the 1960s. A significant contribution to this was made by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

• Peregrine falcons live mainly in open spaces, in the air, so they do not like to settle in dense forests.
• Monogamous, so couples live together for many years.
• Often they like to nest in the river valley, not far from the forest.
• This bird can even be found in the city, if the terrain, habitat conditions allow it to settle there.
• The nesting area of ​​peregrine falcons very often includes several places at once, which are suitable for laying eggs by female peregrine falcons.
• Birds never use egg litter. The nest is most often placed at the top of the rocks, on tall trees, on high-rise buildings (if the bird has settled in the city).
• The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world. In a dive flight, it develops a speed of about 322 km / h, or 90 m / s.
• In 1530, Emperor Charles V gave the island of Malta to the knightly order of the Hospitallers (Order of Malta), and ordered the knights to send him one peregrine falcon every year. This story is described in the novel by the English writer Dashiell Hammett "The Maltese Falcon" (1930). And in the United States in 1941, a film was made based on this book. One of the subspecies of peregrine falcons is called "Maltese".
• Peregrine falcons have always been considered a rare bird. Due to the use of DDT and other pesticides, the population began to decline, but has been slowly recovering since the 1970s. The peregrine falcon is included in the Red Book of Russia, and trade in these birds is prohibited worldwide.
• These birds are very attached to their inhabited nesting area. So, ornithologists have noticed that, since 1243, in the UK, birds regularly nest on the same rocky ledge.

Video

Sources

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapsan https://o-prirode.ru/sapsan/ https://wild-animals.ru/article/birds/ptica-sapsan.html#h2_4 http:// zoofayna.ru/sokol-sapsan/ http://www.birds.kz/v2taxon.php?l=ru&s=131 http://livebla.com/interesnye-fakty-o-sokole-sapsane/

Peregrine falcon - listed in the Red Book of the Krasnodar Territory. The Red Book was created to attract public attention and the species of animals listed in it are in danger. Some are on the verge of possible extinction, others are practically extinct. Unfortunately, millions of species of animals have already left it forever since the day the planet appeared. They died for various reasons. But now the influence of man has increased so much that it directly or indirectly affects almost all species of animals or birds. Therefore, ecologists are talking about the Red Book, trying to appeal to the attention of the public. If it is in the power of man to harm nature, then it is quite within our power to help it recover.

Feathered predator

The peregrine falcon is considered a bird of prey and belongs to the order of falcons. The length of its body is up to 40-50 cm, and its weight is up to 1.4 kg with an average wingspan of 120 cm. Its wings are narrow, sickle-shaped. Females are much smaller in appearance than males. The plumage is dark gray, several stripes, the lower part of the body is more variegated. The mandible has sharp teeth, a feature seen in many species of falcons.

Habitat - in principle, it is quite common, the peregrine falcon can be found in any corner of the Earth, except for Antarctica. The falcon tolerates both cold and heat well, it is unpretentious in food, the only thing is that it does not tolerate too hot or too cold places. Therefore, it is not in the Sahara or the Arctic. Also, excessive humidity also does not like the bird.

There are several subspecies of the peregrine falcon, distinguished by their way of life. Some wander, others, on the contrary, love a settled life, others fly in the off-season. However, only those who live in the cold Arctic migrate. Moreover, biologists note that the falcon can fly huge distances. For example, individuals can nest in areas of Greenland, then fly to spend the winter in South America.
The peregrine falcon is considered a noble bird with a beautiful profile. For example, the peregrine falcon does not catch flying prey when it is sitting on the ground. He flies up, deliberately noisy and noticeable, so that the birds take off. Then it dissipates in the air. Interestingly, many pilots adhered to such a code of honor during the war. They never beat the enemy on the ground. True, biologists doubt that the peregrine falcon’s habit of hunting only in the air is a sign of nobility.

Yes, it flies slower than many bird species and is not as hardy. Therefore, the falcon hunts in its own way. He needs to rise above the flock of prey, then folding his wings, fall down like a stone, at the right angle. A swift blow - and the victim falls. It's almost impossible to dodge. The peregrine falcon flies up to 389 km/h when it falls vertically on its prey.