Appearance

Appearance

Adults have a dark face with broad black marks below the eyes, pointed wings, a gray back, and a barred pale underside. Young birds are browner with streaks running down the breast.

Look-alikes

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• coasts and mudflats
• cliffs
• city buildings

Range

Across the U.S., look near coastal bird flocks, rocky cliffs, and tall buildings. Some northern birds travel south in winter.

When it’s recorded

Recorded year-round, every year

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12,391 observations in the US · 10 years · for referenceChoose a stateAll of the USArizonaCaliforniaFloridaIllinoisMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaNew JerseyNew YorkOhioOregonPennsylvaniaTexasVermontVirginiaWashington

Behavior

Diet

They eat mostly other birds, including shorebirds, ducks, and city pigeons.

Activity

A hunting bird may dive from high above and seize prey in flight.

Life cycle

Nest

In the U.S., pairs often use a cliff ledge or a tall building. They make a shallow scrape instead of building a stick nest.

Clutch size

A clutch has 2–5 eggs.

Incubation

Eggs hatch after about 29–32 days.

Connected species

Prey

• Rock PigeonColumba livia

  In U.S. cities, pigeons are one of its familiar prey birds.

Name and classification

About the name

North America has three named subspecies: American Peregrine Falcon (F. p. anatum), Arctic Peregrine Falcon (F. p. tundrius), and Peale’s Peregrine Falcon (F. p. pealei). In Alaska, the Arctic form breeds farther north and Peale’s occurs in the south.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction

Status

The American peregrine was removed from the U.S. endangered species list in 1999 after recovery efforts and limits on DDT.