Peregrine FalconPeregrine Falcon
(Falco peregrinus)

Long wings, streamlined bodies and small heads make peregrine falcons swift fliers. When they plunge earthward after prey -- a maneuver called a "stoop" -- they can reach speeds up to 200 miles per hour, making them one of the world's faster fliers. Baffles in their nostrils enable peregrines to breathe during their near vertical dives. Over each bird's hooked yellow beak is an off-white stripe that looks like a moustache. This marking helps scientists to identify individual peregrines.

The name Peregrinus, the Latin word for "wanderer," is well suited to these birds, for they seek nest sites far from where they were hatched, and they are found on every continent except Antarctica. Due to the use of DDT in the 1960s and 1970s, peregrines nearly became extinct, their numbers declining drastically to leave only 39 breeding pairs. Today, with the success of breeding and reintroduction programs, there are 2,000 breeding pairs of these magnificent birds. As a result of competition from other raptors for their traditional nest sites, some peregrines have adapted to man-made environments, nesting on tall buildings in 25 cities across N. America, including New York and Boston where they are a welcome addition and prey upon the abundant pigeons.

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