Peregrine Falcon

Cute bird Peregrine Falcon

The Peregrine Falcon, formerly known in North America sometimes as the Duck Hawk, is a medium-sized falcon about the size of a large crow.

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest creature on the planet in its hunting dive, the stoop, in which it soars to a great height, then dives steeply at speeds in excess of 200 mph (320 km/h) into either wing of its prey, so as not to harm itself on impact. The top speed recorded is 242.3 mph (390 km/h). The fledglings practice the roll and the pumping of the wings before they master the actual stoop.

Latin name:	Falco peregrinus
Order:	Falconiformes
Family:	Falconidae
Also Called:	Duck Hawk
Size:	15 to 21 inches (38 to 53 cm) long, with a wingspan of about 40 inches (1 meter)
International names:
Vandrefalk (Danish)
Slechtvalk (Dutch)
Muuttohaukka (Finnish)
Faucon Pèlerin (French)
Wanderfalke (German)
Vandrefalk (Norwegian)
Falcão-peregrino (Portuguese)
Halcón Peregrino (Spanish)
Pilgrimsfalk (Swedish)