Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus | Order: Falconiformes | Family: Falconidae (Falcons and Caracaras) |
This powerful bird of prey has been clocked in stoops going faster than 200 miles per hour! Most specialize on ducks and shorebirds, but in cities can be adept at catching pigeons and gulls.
The Peregrine holds at least two records in the Guinness Book of World Records:
Peregrine Falcon: Fastest bird (diving). The fastest dive by a bird is that of a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), which has been estimated at reaching a terminal velocity in ideal conditions of approximately 320 km/h (200 mph) when in a diving stoop hunting prey on the wing. Some experimental dives have suggested that even higher speeds are possible by this species, perhaps up to 389 km/h (242 mph).
and:
Peregrine Falcon: Keenest vision of a bird. It has been calculated that a large bird of prey has the keenest vision as it can detect a target object at a distance three or more times greater than that achieved by humans, and thus a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) can spot a pigeon at a range of over 8 km (5 miles) under ideal conditions.
I’m not sure how the Guinness Book chose the Peregrine as having THE keenest vision compared with other birds of prey and other falcons specifically.
Laura's Published Works
Radio Programs
- American Golden-Plover 2024
- Crafting Invincible Environmental Protections Part 1: How Bad It Used to Be 2024
- Flaco: Post Mortem 2024
- Death of a New York Celebrity: Flaco the Owl 2024
- Toddler-Approved Bird Books, Part 3b 2023
- Odd-tober! 2023
- Spring Update 2023
- Hit By Pitch 2022
- Horrible News on the Bird Front 2021
- Backyard Fun 2020
- Fall Migration Update 2020
- Flickers 2020
- Gall Bladders 2020
- Earth Day 2020 2020
- Bird Declines, Part 1 2019
- Tom Cade: A Giant among Ornithologists 2019
- Visiting Port Wing's South Shore School 2018
- Listener's Favorite Birds #4: Erik's Gyrfalcon 2018
- Birding in the Postseason 2017
- Mantises: too much of a good thing? 2017
- Pink-capped Marchers 2017
- Chicago Cubs Win World Series! 2016
- Monk Parakeets 2016
- Endangered Species Act: A Big Success 2016
- The Bold and the Beautiful: Duluth's Peregrine Falcons Part 2 2015
- The Bold and the Beautiful: Duluth's Peregrine Falcons Part 1 2015
- Helping Endangered Species 2013
- So Much Violence 2013
- Endangered Species Act 2012
- They Shoot Hawks, Don't They? 2012
- Twins and Double Yolks 2012
- Peregrine Falcon Independence Day 2011
- Duluth's Peregrine Falcons: Update 2011
- Angry Birds 2011
- BP Oil Spill: Gulf Coast, Here I Come! 2010
- KUMD--Live Interview with Lisa Johnson 2010
- Peregrine Watch, 2009! 2009
- Fawn 2009
- State of the Birds, 2009 2009
- Snowy Owls 2008
- Willow Ptarmigan 2008
- Peregrine Falcon vs. Great Horned Owl 2008
- Duluth Christmas Bird Count 2007 2007
- Hawk Ridge Weekend 2007 2007
- Peregrine Watch, 2007 2007
- The Hunter and the Birder Should Be Friends 2007
- Peregrine Falcon nest update, 2007 2007
- Earth Day 2007 2007
- New Year 2007 2007
- Hawk Ridge, 2006 2006
- Baby Peregrine Fledge Week! 2006
- Western Kingbird 2006
- Banding the Baby Peregrines! 2006
- Downtown Peregrine Falcons 2006
- Peregrine Falcon Nest, 2006 2006
- Christmas Bird Count 2005 2005
- Developing Florida 2005
- Scott Weidensaul's Wonderful Essay in the New York Times 2005
- Watching Hawks 2005
- Migration on High: Monitoring the Empire State Building in 2005 2005
- Peregrinations 2005
- Baby Peregrine! 2005
- Downtown Peregrine Falcons 2005
- My Blog 2005
- Short-eared Owl 2005
- This Winter 2005
- Birds in the News 2004
- DDT Revisited, Part I 2004
- News from the Milwaukee Humane Society 2004
- Geek Prom 2004
- Christmas Bird Count 2003 summary 2003
- Chicago Cubs 2003
- Bring Back DDT? 2003
- Shorebirds 2003
- Yard List, Part II 2003
- Where the Boids Are 2003
- Bear Baiting 2003
- Common Pests 2002
- Rarities 2001
- Alaska Chickadees with Deformed Bills 2001
- My Uncle Dick 2000
- Bring back DDT? 2000
- Adjusting to Less 2000
- 100,000 Miles (Ford Aspire) 2000
- Superlative Birds 1999
- Do Environmentalists Hate People? 1999
- Birding on Skis 1999
- Migration Update and Kestrels 1998
- Silly Bird Names 1998
- Chimney Swift 1997
- Bird Behavior 1996
- Book Review: The Wind Masters 1995
- Animals vs. Humans 1995
- Superlative Birds 1995
- The Pigeons of Madison County 1995
- Baseball Bird List 1995
- Flicker 1995
- Caeca 1993
- Gall Bladders 1993
- Cats 1992
- Imelda 1991
- Bird Aggression, and Baker's Blue Jay Party Mix 1990
- Gall Bladders 1990
- Christmas Bird Count Summary, 1989 1989
- Fall Visitors to Duluth 1989
- Mobbing and Piracy 1989
- Hawk Ridge Weekend 1989
- Hawk Ridge 1989
- Peregrine Release 1989
- Albinism 1989
- Great Horned Owl 1989
- Bald Eagle 1989
- Eggs 1989
- Peregrine Release 1989
- Trumpeter Swan Lead Poisoning 1989
- Autumn's End 1988
- Calpurnia the Raven 1988
- Vice Presidential Debates 1988
- WHOA! Big Day at the Pumping Station 1988
- Fielding Questions at Hawk Ridge 1988
- Peregrine release update 1988
- Partial Albino Redpoll 1988
- The John Chickenfat Sled Bird Race 1988
- Peregrine Falcons and the Minnesota DNR Nongame Wildlife Program 1988
- Bird's Eye View: Vision 1988
- Tower Update 1987
- US West Tower 1987
- Ode to the Lakewood Pumping Station 1987
- Book Review: A Field Guide to Hawks 1987
- Hawk Ridge Weekend 1987, Part II 1987
- Hawk Ridge Weekend 1987 1987
- Flickers 1987
- Peregrine Falcon Reintroduction 1987
- Bald Eagle 1987
- Chickadee Checkoff 1987
- Snow Bunting 1986
- Blue Jay 1986
- Silly Bird Names 1986
- Peregrine Reintroduction 1986
Web Page
Articles
Books
- ABA Field Guide to Birds of Minnesota 2016
- Identifying Birds of Prey 2016
- Into the Nest: Intimate Views of the Courting, Parenting and Family Lives of Birds 2015
- National Geographic Pocket Guide: Birds of North America 2013
- Hawk Ridge: Minnesota's Birds of Prey 2012
- For the Birds: An Uncommon Guide 1993