Peregrine Falcon

speed champion · birds of prey · hunters

Fastest animal alive. Peregrine falcons can dive faster than 240 miles per hour, making them the speediest creatures on the planet. That is faster than a race car zooming down the highway.

Fancy feather pattern. These falcons have a blue-grey back, white barred belly, and a striking black head that looks like they are wearing a dark helmet. This coloring helps them blend into the sky when hunting.

Size difference surprise. Female peregrine falcons are noticeably bigger than males, which is common in birds that hunt other birds. The size difference helps them catch different sized prey.

Expert bird hunters. Peregrine falcons are avivores, meaning they eat birds and only birds. They swoop down from high in the sky to snatch their prey with incredible precision.

Known by many names. In Australia, people call them black-cheeked falcons, while in North America they were historically called duck hawks. All these names refer to the same amazing bird.