The Peregrine Falcon – 2nd Edition

The Peregrine Falcon

Over the last five years, the urban population of Peregrines has increased dramatically. In part this was due to the increase in urban pigeon populations – where pigeons breed, Peregrines can flourish. But the human populations of towns and cities have also helped, providing potential breeding sites and installing video cameras so that urban folk can watch and admire the falcons. Renowned for their speed and flight abilities, a bird that once could only be seen in remote, wild places, became a star of local CCTV.

This updated book investigates all aspects of Peregrine life, from plumage, through diet, breeding and survival. The falcons breed on all continents apart from Antarctica and data has been collected from across that vast range. In addition, modern technology has been used to study the flights which have made the falcon famous as arguably the fastest creature on the planet. Allied to excellent photography the result is a comprehensive book on this most iconic bird.

For the second edition, all chapters have been revised with chapters 1 and 3 in particular featuring substantial revision and addition of new material. In chapter 1 the latest taxonomical research has been included to provide an updated picture of Falconiformes phylogenetics. Dissections and computer reconstructions have revealed more about the structure of the air sacs that are part of the respiratory system. Chapter 3 provides new data and discussion on the function and evolutionary origin of the Peregrine’s tubercle (a cone-shaped structure in the nostril) and dispels some of the myths surrounding this structure. Additionally, results from micro-CT scanning reveal previously unseen details on bone thickness of limb and wing bones and on the internal anatomy of the nasal passage. Together with this anatomical data, results from behavioural experiments presented here strongly support the idea that peregrine falcons have a sense of olfaction they use in hunting. Finally, a notable addition to chapter 10 has been consideration of current and expected future impacts on Peregrine falcons of climate change.

Contents

Introduction
1. The Falcons   10
2. The Peregrine Falcon   52
3. Flight Characteristics and Senses   114
4. Diet   210
5. Food Consumption and Energy Balance   290
6. Breeding Part 1   300
7. Breeding Part 2   336
8. Movements and Winter Grounds   408
9. Friends and Foes   440
10. Population   462

References   544