Falco peregrinus - Peregrine Falcon
Feather characters. Barbules are rather long (1.7-2.2 mm). Pigment is absent or concentrated in nodes. Slightly thickened nodes (11-12 per mm) are equally distributed along the entire length of barbules, only slightly decreasing in size towards distal end. Villi are absent and internodes are occasionally kinked. Minute prongs are present on distal end of barbules and on both sides of the pennulum. Occasionally minute prongs are found on proximal end of barbules.
Field characters. Length 39-50 cm; wingspan 95-115 cm. Weight: male 611 g, female 952 g (Dunning, 1993). A compact falcon with long, pointed wings, a relatively short tail, and with a characteristic swift and direct flight with a few rapid wing beats alternated by long glides on extended wings. Upperparts dark blue-grey with crown, sides of head and well-developed moustachial stripe black; underparts buffy-white and barred black. Female larger and darker than male. Juvenile dark brown above with whitish underparts streaked, not barred.
Voice. Vocal during the breeding season, main call a screaming chatter: "kek-kek-kek-kek-kek...".
Distribution. Scarce breeding bird. Populations in north and north-east migratory, those in south and west resident. Map: see MapIt.
Habitat. Prefers open country, moors, mountain-sides and wetlands, and usually requires cliffs, towers, or ruins for breeding.
Food. Uses a variety of hunting techniques but usually catches and kills prey in air or strikes it on ground. Stoops onto prey after pursuit flight. Diet consists mainly of a variety of birds, ranging in size from Goldcrest to Grey Heron.