The most remarkable characteristic of the peregrine falcon is its speed of flight. During its hunting dive in the air, it is found to move as fast as 320 km per hour. There are reports that some peregrine falcons can fly at a speed of 389 km per hour.
The peregrine falcon is as large as a crow. The female birds are larger in size. But both are similar in appearance with black plumage and broad shoulders. These are compact and powerful birds and are one of the most common birds in the world. They are seen nearly everywhere on Earth, except in the extreme polar regions, on very high mountains and dense tropical forests. They build nests on spots which are not easily accessible. Typically, there will be typically three or four eggs in a nest and they use the same nest for long periods.
They hunt pigeons, parakeets and other birds of similar size as prey. Due to their superior hunting skills, these birds were favourites in the collections of professional falconers.
