Class: Aves
Diet: Carnivore
Lifespan: Up to 19 years
Weight: Up to 900g
Wingspan: Up to 106cm
Reproduction: Egg-laying
Status: Least concern
Peregrine falcons can be found across Australia in a range of habitats from coastal areas, rainforests, arid inland and even in cities. They are also found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Peregrines prefer to nest on cliff faces amongst rocky outcroppings, and have adapted to urbanisation by building their nests in the window ledges of skyscrapers in cities. The largest population of peregrine falcons in the world can actually be found in New York City.
Peregrines feed primarily on other birds such as pigeons, which are abundant in cities. They also feed on small mammals such as rabbits. They hunt by ambushing their prey from above, dropping into a stoop and colliding with their prey at speeds of up to 300km/h and killing them on impact. Peregrine falcons have been recorded reaching speeds of nearly 390km/h.