# Peregrine Falcon.



## ipreferaflan (Oct 8, 2009)

I accidentally posted this in the general herp chat section. Whoooops... :blush:

Anyways, I went for a stroll along Tennyson Down, Isle Of Wight, yesterday and saw loads of these beautiful birds.

I managed to get right underneath the telephone wire this one was perched on. Am I right in thinking it's a Peregrine Falcon?


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## Woodsman (Aug 12, 2008)

ipreferaflan said:


> I accidentally posted this in the general herp chat section. Whoooops... :blush:
> 
> Anyways, I went for a stroll along Tennyson Down, Isle Of Wight, yesterday and saw loads of these beautiful birds.
> 
> ...


 Sorry mate,it's a Kestrel.


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## ipreferaflan (Oct 8, 2009)

Woodsman said:


> Sorry mate,it's a Kestrel.


Ah dayum! I know they do get Peregrines up there so I just assumed.


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## Moodie (Aug 3, 2008)

Looks like you got out of there just before it shat on you!


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## ipreferaflan (Oct 8, 2009)

Moodie said:


> Looks like you got out of there just before it shat on you!


hahaha. I was a bit worried about that actually.


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## AZUK (Jul 9, 2007)

Woodsman said:


> Sorry mate,it's a Kestrel.


Ditto
This is a peregrine










A much bigger Bird, also I don't recall ever seen one roosting on overhead wires in the way other birds do.
Nice pics though.


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## reef (Jan 4, 2008)

AZUK said:


> Ditto
> This is a peregrine
> 
> image
> ...


Nice Bird Dave ,am looking at getting a Harris hawk next year ,do you fly yours ?


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## ipreferaflan (Oct 8, 2009)

AZUK said:


> Ditto
> This is a peregrine
> 
> image
> ...


Ah. I'm not all that clued up on birds. I just thought this was a young peregrine.
That's a beautiful specimen there by the way!


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

yup, a kessie. lovely shots though.


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

AZUK said:


> Ditto
> This is a peregrine
> 
> image
> ...


Sorry, thats not a peregrine either! looks like a hybrid, probably crosed with a Lanner, maybe a Saker.


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## Testudo Man (Aug 3, 2005)

corvid2e1 said:


> Sorry, thats not a peregrine either! looks like a hybrid, probably crosed with a Lanner, maybe a Saker.



I was also about to question whether that pic was in fact a peregrine too, I agree with you, it looks like a possible Lanner or Saker??...

*EDIT- forgot to say, the pics on the 1st post are really nice, well done.*


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

corvid2e1 said:


> Sorry, thats not a peregrine either! looks like a hybrid, probably crosed with a Lanner, maybe a Saker.


or a Gyr? seems quite white. i think saker hybrids are browner, they look like big sparrowhawks or a hobby, but slightly wrong.


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

ok...

Peregrine


peregrine face


peregrine/gyr hybrid


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## ipreferaflan (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks everybody who said they like my pics!



laurencea said:


> ok...
> 
> Peregrine
> [URL=http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4651055382_ac0a62f158.jpg]image[/URL]
> ...


I can't tell the difference... :blush: haha

Also what is that helmet/hat thing for? Spearin' rabbits?


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## Maureen Collinson (Oct 6, 2006)

They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and I think all birds of prey are beautiful birds, but to the pigeon fanciers they are a total nightmare, killing racing pigeons worth thousands of pounds. All quite sad.  I am told that pigeons in general have been almost wiped out in Wales. 

Mo.


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

ipreferaflan said:


> Thanks everybody who said they like my pics!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


the Gyr is whiter - a pure Gyr falcon is very pale (and big! i had one on my arm). the Perigrine/Gyr was being used to clear birds from the scottish parliament buildings.

the helmet is to calm them down when being handled/moved about.


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## Woodsman (Aug 12, 2008)

Maureen Collinson said:


> They say beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and I think all birds of prey are beautiful birds, bbut to the pigeon fanciers they are a total nightmare, killing racing pigeons worths thousands of pounds. All quite sad. I am told that pigeons in general have been almost wiped out in Wales.
> 
> Mo.


Not sure if you mean racing pigeons or natives,but I can assure you both are far from being wiped out in wales.


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## Maureen Collinson (Oct 6, 2006)

Woodsman said:


> Not sure if you mean racing pigeons or natives,but I can assure you both are far from being wiped out in wales.


Hi Woodsman. 

Thanks for the reply.  I am glad to hear that news as I felt quite sad at the time of hearing about the pigeons. This information came from a guy that races pigeons about a month ago, and he is not usually one to either fib, or get things wrong, but having said that, he does not live in Wales and can only go on what he is being told via other pigeon keepers residing in Wales.
I will pass on what you have said.

Mo.


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## laurencea (Aug 28, 2009)

the biggest threat to feral pigeons is wood pigeons, who are moving into urban areas. collared doves are also spreading. both are bigger and can drive out the ferals.

considering the rate pigeons breed, compared to a falcon, i really can't see then being wiped out by predation. also, as pigeon fanciers often kill thei 'losing' birds, then that is more of a threat than a falcon.

in a straight and level flight a pigeon is a match for a falcon. the peregrine wins on its ability to gain height and then stoop in a dive. i've seen one do this with lapwings and it was incredible to watch as it repeatedly dived to break up the desert the try and pick off a lone bird.


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## xvickyx (Jul 21, 2009)

Lovely pics


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## collaredlizard (Aug 23, 2010)

like the pic ipreferaflan also could be a young Merlin (pigeon hawk) looks like its getting a grey hood.

funny a pigeon keeper always blames a bird of prey for the lost or shot ones. rescued a pigeon that had been shot a couple of years ago as the vet nurse removed the shot from it i phone the owner to let them know where it was his comment a bird of prey killed it so pointed out must be a smart bird if they use guns now as i stood watch the op ended up phoning the breeder who came down to pick the pigeon up,


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