Peregrine Falcon - Bird of Prey

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the Peregrine,and historically as the "Duck Hawk" in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache". Typical of bird-eating raptors, Peregrine Falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males, one of the few vertebrate animal species with larger females. The Peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching speeds of over 325 km/h (202 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop, making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom.The Peregrines breeding range includes land regions from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions, very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand. This makes it the worlds most widespread bird of prey. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon", referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies which vary in appearance and range