How fast are peregrine falcons

By: Wendy Bowman Sep 9, In , a fellow named Ken Franklin of Friday Harbor, Washington, used a computer chip to clock the diving speed of one of the peregrine falcons he owned — "Frightful," a 6-year-old bird weighing in at a little over 2 pounds 0.

The result? The bird dove after prey from about 3 miles 5 kilometers in the air at a speed of mph kph , and with the speedy swoop broke a Guinness World Record for the fastest dive by a bird, making the peregrine falcon one of the world's fastest animals. Referred to as global birds, the peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus can be spotted on every continent except Antarctica , traveling long distances peregrinus means traveler in Latin between their wintering and breeding grounds.

North American peregrine falcons can be migratory or non-migratory, with some residing year-round in Alaska, the Midwest, Northeast, Southwest and along the Western Coast, while others migrate annually from South America and the Gulf Coast to the Alaskan tundra. This versatility allows them to live in almost any type of climate and habitat. Basically, they can live wherever they can find food. Among the identifying characteristics of these raptors or birds of prey : "Peregrine falcons are the largest falcon over most of the North American continent, with long, pointed wings and a long tail," says Schwartz.

They have sharp, yellow talons to catch their prey, and as with most raptors, males are smaller than females. The average peregrine falcon weighs from 1 to 3. Here are five other facts you might not know about this fascinating bird of prey, which is also unofficially known as the great-footed hawk, ledge hawk, stone hawk, rock hawk, bullet hawk and wandering falcon.

Peregrine falcons eat mostly other birds, with about North American species having been documented as prey by the National Wildlife Federation. Among them: birds as large as sandhill cranes and as small as hummingbirds, as well as shorebirds, ducks, grebes, gulls, pigeons and songbirds. They also eat bats, and they often swipe fish and rodents from other raptors. They also have a sharp tooth at the end of their beak they can use to sever their prey's neck.

In fact, it's been studied and copied by airplane manufacturers for decades, says Nicole Ellis, a pet expert and certified trainer with Rover. Sophisticated membranes in the bird's eyes prevent them from drying out, so the predator can remain fixed on the target.

To keep her attention, males bring females food during the courting and nesting season. She frequently takes the prey from him while they are both in flight by turning upside down in mid-air and grabbing the food out of his talons!

The feathers of the peregrine falcon also contribute to its high speeds. The feathers are slim and stiff, reducing the drag that can be caused by loose limp feathers. The peregrine falcon appears extremely aerodynamic, but if it were not for its incredibly efficient respiratory and circulatory systems, it would not be able to reach the speeds it does.

The peregrine falcon can do this because it has a one-way air flow into its lungs. The peregrine falcon has air sacs that keep its lungs inflated even when exhaling. The peregrine falcon also has a very strong heart that beats between and times per minute, allowing the oxygen to travel throughout the bird at high rates so it does not fatigue quickly. The amazing speed of its heartbeat allows the peregrine falcon to flap its wings up to four times per second, contributing to its speed.

Lorena Barba posted on December 12, at pm. It is really an amazing animal … great info about its powerful respiratory system and heart! Are the images taken from the sites you listed in your source list? I think it would be nice to add a caption.

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