Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

County List:

Rule:

Mixed Forested/Nonforested or Nonforested Landscapes

Nesting and Foraging Habitat Requirements may be distributed over the NEIGHBORHOOD

Nesting Habitat:
      Rock Bluff 
      or Man-made Structure

Foraging Habitat:
      (Lake or River)
   adjacent to:
      Any Emergent Wetland

Habitat List:

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Literature:

Nests most commonly are placed on ledges or cavities on a cliff face or escarpment. The cliff faces selected often are located over or close to lakes or rivers. Most sites selected also have a gravel shoreline or shoal nearby for bathing. Nest sites are frequently near open habitat, such as wetland or riparian zones, which concentrate small birds or other prey and offer good open-air hunting. This need for open habitat for hunting is further evidenced by the fact that otherwise habitable areas in the world that are heavily forested are the only areas lacking peregrines.

Habitat: Breeding: Typically on high, rocky cliffs of mountains; often near a river, stream, or other body of body of water; coastal bays. Sometimes breeds in cities. Birds commonly return to same nest site in successive years. Wintering: Birds winter primarily along the Atlantic Coast on barrier beaches. A few winter in cities, roosting on tall buildings.

Special Habitat Requirements: High cliffs for nesting, a clear view of surroundings, habitats free of harmful pesticides, ready supply of prey species, water within 0.5-1.0 mile of nest site. Small amounts of gravel or soil in nest hollow may be required for laying.

Habitat: Open country, cliffs (mountains to coast); sometimes cities. Over its wide range, founding wide variety of open habitats, from tundra to desert mountains. Often near water, especially along coast, and migrants may fly far out to sea. Limited by availability of nest sites and prey; thus, it often moves into cities, nesting on building ledges and feeding on pigeons.

Diet: Mostly birds. Feeds on a wide variety of birds. Pigeons are often favored prey around cities, and ducks and shorebirds are often taken along coast; known to take prey as large as loons, geese, large gulls, and as small as songbirds. Also eats a few small mammals, seldom insects, rarely carrion.

Nest: Site is usually on cliff ledge, sometimes in hollow of broken-off tree snag or in old stick nest of other large birds in tree. In some areas, may nest on ground on hilltop. Also uses ledges of buildings, bridges, other structures. Some sites may be used for many years. No nest built, eggs laid in simple scrape.