Peregrine over the Pacific
Got lucky today and caught this Peregrine Falcon as it “cruised” by my cliff-top perch. I was hoping to capture a mid-air food exchange which Peregrine’s carryout with exceptional skill, but it didn’t happen for me on this morning. Nevertheless, I came away with a smile on my face and a happy heart.
The Peregrine Falcon stands out as an exceptionally remarkable bird of prey, primarily celebrated for its astonishing speed and formidable hunting prowess.
Widely recognized as the fastest animal on Earth, this falcon can achieve cruising speeds of 25-34 mph (40-55 km/h), but it's during its iconic hunting dive, known as a "stoop," that it truly showcases its incredible velocity, reaching over 200 mph (320 km/h) and occasionally up to an astounding 240 mph (386 km/h) by streamlining its body.
Roughly the size of a crow, Peregrine Falcons are characterized by their striking appearance, featuring a blue-gray back, white undersides with black barring, and a distinctive black head adorned with a "moustache" mark, while females typically exhibit a larger stature than males.
This species boasts a near-global distribution, inhabiting diverse open environments across all continents except Antarctica, and is increasingly found in urban settings where tall structures mimic their preferred cliff nesting sites.
Primarily specialists in hunting other birds, Peregrine Falcons possess an incredibly varied diet, preying on hundreds of different bird species which they skillfully capture after their breathtaking stoops. Following a significant decline in the mid-20th century due to DDT use, the Peregrine Falcon has made a remarkable recovery thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, signifying a successful resurgence for this magnificent raptor.
(Nikon Z8, Nikon 600/f6.3, 1/1250 @ f/6.3, ISO 220, Edited to taste)
Peregrine over the Pacific
Got lucky today and caught this Peregrine Falcon as it “cruised” by my cliff-top perch. I was hoping to capture a mid-air food exchange which Peregrine’s carryout with exceptional skill, but it didn’t happen for me on this morning. Nevertheless, I came away with a smile on my face and a happy heart.
The Peregrine Falcon stands out as an exceptionally remarkable bird of prey, primarily celebrated for its astonishing speed and formidable hunting prowess.
Widely recognized as the fastest animal on Earth, this falcon can achieve cruising speeds of 25-34 mph (40-55 km/h), but it's during its iconic hunting dive, known as a "stoop," that it truly showcases its incredible velocity, reaching over 200 mph (320 km/h) and occasionally up to an astounding 240 mph (386 km/h) by streamlining its body.
Roughly the size of a crow, Peregrine Falcons are characterized by their striking appearance, featuring a blue-gray back, white undersides with black barring, and a distinctive black head adorned with a "moustache" mark, while females typically exhibit a larger stature than males.
This species boasts a near-global distribution, inhabiting diverse open environments across all continents except Antarctica, and is increasingly found in urban settings where tall structures mimic their preferred cliff nesting sites.
Primarily specialists in hunting other birds, Peregrine Falcons possess an incredibly varied diet, preying on hundreds of different bird species which they skillfully capture after their breathtaking stoops. Following a significant decline in the mid-20th century due to DDT use, the Peregrine Falcon has made a remarkable recovery thanks to dedicated conservation efforts, signifying a successful resurgence for this magnificent raptor.
(Nikon Z8, Nikon 600/f6.3, 1/1250 @ f/6.3, ISO 220, Edited to taste)