The Interesting Facts About Peregrine Falcons
The fastest bird in the world with a formidable hunting style, the peregrine falcon is a bird of prey that has inspired many of my paintings. Read on for some fascinating facts about peregrines.
peregrine falcon fact
A Peregrine’s Other Name Is ‘The Wandering Bird’
The name peregrine falcon comes from the Latin word ‘peregrinus’, which means ‘wanderer’ or ‘pilgrim. It is so named because outside of the breeding season these birds travel widely. The scientific name for a peregrine is Falco Peregrinus.
How To Identify A Peregrine
About the size of a crow, a peregrine has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and an almost black head. Females are bigger than males. The barring of a peregrine’s feather pattern means it is often mistaken for a sparrowhawk. To tell the difference, look for the peregrine’s dark eyes, long pointed wings and short tail. In contrast, sparrowhawks have striking yellow eyes, short wings and a long tail. Peregrines are also characterised by their horseshoe moustache: black marks that reach down below the eyes. It looks as if the bird is wearing a mask.
