Falcon

The fastest animal alive

The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on Earth in its hunting dive (called a stoop). Speeds of 390 km/h (240 mph) have been measured during diving attacks on prey. The peregrine essentially uses gravity and aerodynamics to convert altitude to lethal speed.

The body is extensively adapted for the dive:

• Pointed wings swept back during the stoop.
• Reinforced bones to withstand g-forces.
• Special nasal baffles that prevent ram-air pressure from rupturing the lungs.
• Specialized eye membranes that protect against high-speed wind.

When the peregrine strikes prey at full speed, the impact alone often kills (or stuns) the bird; the falcon then catches the falling prey or follows it down.

A near-extinction story

Peregrine populations in North America and Europe collapsed in the 1950s and 60s due to DDT pesticide accumulation. The chemical disrupted calcium metabolism, causing eggshells too thin to survive incubation. Populations dropped to fewer than 350 breeding pairs in the lower 48 U.S. states.

After DDT was banned in 1972 and intensive captive-breeding-and-release programs took place, peregrines have recovered dramatically. They were removed from the U.S. endangered species list in 1999. Today over 3,000 pairs nest in the U.S. alone.

Urban falcons

Peregrines have adapted remarkably to urban environments. Skyscrapers serve as analogs to cliff faces; pigeons and other urban birds provide abundant prey. Today peregrines nest on:

• The Brooklyn Bridge
• The Empire State Building
• Skyscrapers in London, Paris, Tokyo
• Cathedral spires in many European cities

Many cities now host nest cameras for falcon-watching; viewer numbers can reach millions during fledging season.

Falconry

The art of training raptors to hunt for humans is at least 4,000 years old, with origins in Mongolia and the Middle East. Falconry was the sport of medieval European nobility — owning a peregrine was a sign of high social status. Different ranks were entitled to different birds:

• Emperor — eagle
• King — gyrfalcon
• Earl — peregrine
• Knight — saker
• Yeoman — goshawk

The strict hierarchy lasted into the Renaissance. Modern falconry is heavily regulated but still practiced internationally; it was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2010.