The Peregrine Falcon

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poor name,
since falcons aren't hawks and they rarely kill ducks. The American
peregrine was once found all across the eastern United States and southern
Canada. In the west, the species was found from Mexico to California. DDT
poisoning hit this subspecies the hardest. Even today, naturalists are
still working hard to save the American peregrine from extinction.
The smaller tundra peregrine (Falco peregrinus tundrius) lives
farther north. Tundra peregrines range across the treeless regions of
Alaska and Canada. They are also found in Greenland. Peale's peregrine
(Falco peregrinus pealei) is the third North American subspecies. This
western bird ranges from Oregon northward to Alaska and the Aleutian
Islands. Peale's peregrine is the largest of the three subspecies. The
tundra and Peale's peregrines have escaped the worst effects of DDT
poisoning.
Most peregrines are slate blue on the back and wings. The top of
its head is black. Black feathers around the eyes reduce ...

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hour. During a dive peregrines reach their
highest speeds. They fold their wings halfway back and drop like a missile.
An air force pilot once clocked a diving peregrine at 175 mph!
The peregrine's feet and beak are also designed for killing. Each
yellow foot has four toes; three in front and one behind. Each toe ends in
a curved claw called a talon. When a peregrine dives at its prey, it
strikes first with the razor-sharp back talons. This blow usually kills
the prey instantly. If the prey is still alive, the peregrine uses its
strong, tan-colored beak. One slashing bite with its beak will break the
back of smaller birds.
The peregrine's large eyes give it superior vision. ...

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