The peregrine is the most widespread bird of prey in the world.
There are 17 species of peregrine falcon, and they are found in almost all areas of the planet, except for rain forests, very high mountains and the coldest regions of the Arctic and Antarctic. A bird of prey, the peregrine, like all falcons, has tapered wings and a short, slim tail to help with speed and agility in flight when pursuing prey. When in pursuit, the peregrine will plummet from the sky at speeds of over 300 km per hour.
General Facts
The peregrine falcon, sometimes known as the peregrine or, in North America, as the "duck hawk" is, when fully developed, about the size of a large crow. It has blue-black plumage on its back with a white underside covered with dark speckles. Its presence in so many countries in the world--the only ice-free country from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand--makes it the most widespread bird of prey in the world. Primarily it hunts small birds but can pursue small mammals and lizards as well. It lives in both the countryside and urban areas, using tall buildings as perches and nesting sites.
Nestling
Like all birds, the peregrine has four stages of life. The first is as a nestling. This is the period from hatching out of the egg to the bird's first flight. When hatched, the nestlings are covered in white down and unable to open their eyes. They will be protected by one of their parents while the other parent catches food for the chicks. They will open there eyes within the first week and then grow rapidly, their down changing to proper feathers, before taking their first flight from the nest at around 6 weeks of age.
Fledgling
After they are able to fly, peregrines enter the fledgling stage. This is the period during which they are mobile, regularly leaving the nest, but are still reliant on their parents for food. They will not stray far from the nest, perching in trees nearby and practicing their aerial abilities, while the parents will hunt and leave carcasses in the nest for the fledglings to tear up and feed themselves.
Juvenile
The fledgling stage lasts approximately a month. By this time, the young peregrines have mastered flying techniques, including the high velocity plummet, or "stoop," with which falcons catch their prey. They are now juveniles, no longer dependent upon their parents and hunting entirely for themselves. They will leave the area of the nest, their parents and their siblings, to begin life on their own.
Adult
At around 2 years of age, the peregrine becomes sexually mature and enters the adult stage of its life. Generally they mate for life, although should their partner die, they will take a new mate. The male will present the female with prey and court her through calls and aerial displays. Once bonded, they will construct a nest; the female chooses between several sites that the male shows her. They breed once each year. On average the female will lay three or four eggs in a batch and they are incubated for between 33 and 35 days before they hatch. In the wild, peregrines live approximately 12 years, although they can live to 20 years or more in captivity.
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