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Peregrine Falcons are the world’s fastest animal, capable of diving, or stooping at their prey, at speeds of more than 200 miles per hour!
Peregrine Falcons are one of the most widely distributed land animals in the world, having been observed on every content in the world except for Antarctica. Highly regarded as a noble bird by biologists and licensed falconers, Peregrines have darker, striped plumage and tapered wings for aerodynamic flight.
Although currently classified as Least Concern, Peregrine Falcon populations weren’t always stable. Peregrines essentially disappeared from the east coast in the 1960s, and were on the brink of extinction in the United States (U.S.) due to harmful pesticide effects, particularly DDT. Conservation measures for the species have been very successful, and the U.S. Peregrine Falcon population quickly recovered. The species was removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999, just 29 years after being placed on the list.
To further the study of wild Peregrine Falcon populations, particularly in urban areas, the National Aviary hosts a live stream of the Peregrine family living high atop the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning: The National Aviary’s Peregrine FalconCam. Tune in every spring and summer to see the current happenings of a wild pair – who knows, they might even raise a few chicks!
Each spring and summer, the National Aviary hosts a live stream of the Peregrine Falcons residing high up on the southeast side of the Cathedral of Learning on the main campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
Learn MoreHold a falcon on your gloved-hand while learning about the world's fastest animal.
Learn MoreHabitat
Historically cliffs near rivers and coastlines; now found mostly in urban areas, where nesting occurs on skyscrapers and within the framework of tall bridges.
Diet
: Primarily birds, especially water birds (it’s old name is “Duck Hawk”), but also pigeons and miscellaneous songbirds and woodpeckers. Sometimes will prey on bats, and rarely on other mammals and insects.
Status
Least Concern
Breeding
Peregrines nest on cliffs or ledges of tall buildings where they lay a group of up to four eggs in a bowl-shaped depression in gravel. The female and male both incubate the eggs for just over a month. Chicks fledge from the nest at around six to seven weeks old. They remain with their parents for several more weeks (6-10) before dispersing up to several hundred kilometers (immature females travel twice as far from their natal grounds compared to the males).
In The News
The Invisible Clues Animals Leave Behind Are Helping Save Entire Ecosystems (featuring an interview with Dr. Steve Latta) | A-Z Animals
In this article, we speak with Dr. Steven Latta, Director of Conservation and Field Research at The National Aviary. In his own work, he collects eDNA samples from water, leaf litter, feathers, egg shells, and other substrates to identify species presence.
Read More »Why Animals in Cold Climates Are Bigger: The Science Behind Bergmann’s Rule (featuring an interview with Bob Mulvihill) | A-Z Animals
“Large animals can conserve heat more efficiently than smaller animals in cold climates,” explains Bob Mulvihill, Lead Ornithologist for the National Aviary.
Read More »Penguins To Hold ‘Penguins Pledge Night’ Presented by U. S. Steel | Pittsburgh Penguins
The Penguins Pledge will also raise funds and call attention to the National Aviary in Pittsburgh and their conservation leadership with African Penguins.
Read More »Record Number of Peregrine Falcons Counted in Allegheny County | National Today
Conservation efforts have helped the raptor species rebound in the region.
Read More »Why Are There No Birds in My Birdhouse? I Asked Expert Bob Mulvihill Who Told Me How to Attract Birds to Any Birdhouse | Gardening Know How
To help ensure your birdhouses are as appealing to birds as possible, [we] asked a National Aviary Ornithologist Bob Mulvihill for the most common reasons why houses remain vacant and how to make houses more attractive to garden birds.
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