![]() In captivity, these birds can live for up to 25 years. Despite this long lifespan, most peregrine falcons do not live to be a year old. The peregrine falcon has a lifespan of around 13 years, although they have been known to live to 20 years in the wild. ![]() The upper beak is notched near the tip, which allows the bird to kill its prey. Peregrine falcons have yellow feet and beak base, while the rest of the beak is black, as are the claws. They have a black top of the head and a “moustache” along the cheeks, which contrasts with the sides of the neck which are pale and a white throat. The tail is usually black and is long, narrow, and rounded at the end with a black tip and a white band at the very end. The underparts are white to rusty with thin clean bands of dark brown or black. The color of the peregrine falcon again depends on the subspecies, but most bluish black to slate grey backs and long, pointed wings and black wingtips. The exact weight of these birds depends on the subspecies. Males weigh between 330 and 1,000 g (0.73 and 2.20 lb), whereas females weigh between 700 to 1,500 g (1.5 to 3.3 lb). Females are noticeably larger than males while the two sexes have similar markings and plumage, females are up to 30% larger. The peregrine falcon is a large birds, with a body length of between 34 to 58 cm (13 to 23 in) and a wingspan from 74 to 120 cm (29 to 47 in). The peregrine falcon is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Breeding in captivity after the ban of these pesticides helped to restore the peregrine falcon population, and they are now widespread across most of their area. Unfortunately, due to the use of pesticides, the peregrine falcon had become an endangered species by the 1970s. They make their nests mostly in open habitats, but in recent years have also been known to make use of urban areas, particularly tall buildings where there is a lot of pigeon prey for them to eat. These birds feed mainly on medium-sized birds, although will also sometimes take small mammals. The scientific name Falco peregrinus is a Medieval Latin phrase that was used by Albertus Magnus in 1225. ![]() There have been numerous subspecies of the peregrine falcon described, and currently 19 are recognized. The peregrine falcon belongs to the family Falconidae and the genus Falco. They are known for their quick flight and are actually the fastest bird in the world, travelling at speeds of up to 320 km/h (200 mph). Also simply known as the peregrine, these birds are large with a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a bird of prey (raptor) found worldwide, except for rainforests and cold, dry Arctic regions. ![]()
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