Recovered Raptor Species

COMMON NAME: Peregrine Falcon

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Falco peregrinus

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS:
A large falcon in which the sexes look alike. The male (the tiercel) is about two-thirds the size of the female (the falcon). Adults have a dark slate-blue back and wings and a dark blue tail that is lightly barred. The top of the head is dark with a dark stripe running down the side of the face. The cere, legs, and feet are bright yellow. The underside of the adult is light with vertical streaks across the breast, belly and legs. Immatures are uniformly brown on the back, top of the head, and wings, with a light underside streaked with brown. Peregrine falcons are widely distributed resulting in many populations and sub-species (22 by one count) each with a slight variation of the above plumage.

RANGE:
Distributed worldwide, peregrine falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica. They can be found breeding in the arctic tundra, through Europe, and North America, and south into Africa, South America, the Pacific Islands and Australia.

HABITAT:
Peregrine falcons are birds of open spaces usually associated with high cliffs and bluffs overlooking rivers and coasts. Recently, many cities with tall buildings have become home to pairs of peregrines. Many populations are migratory (their name means "wandering falcon") and will travel great distances.

NESTING:
Their nest is a scrape made on the bare rock of a cliff, where two to four eggs are laid. There are also a few records of tree-nesting peregrine falcons in the eastern United States. Recently many cities in North America have had peregrines nesting on the ledges of tall buildings or under bridges.

FEEDING HABITS:
The most spectacular of hunters, peregrine falcons feed almost exclusively on birds they take in the air. High-speed dives enable peregrines to catch everything from songbirds to herons and ducks.

RAPTOR CENTER DATA:
One of the 10 most common patients received in the clinic. Since the late 1970s, The Raptor Center has been involved in reintroductions of this species, which have recently resulted in breeding pairs in the Twin Cities as well as many other Midwestern states.

CONSERVATION STATUS:
Peregrine falcons were taken off the endangered species list in August 1999. They are currently still bred in captivity for release into the wild and for falconry.

Please visit the Minnesota Raptor Center to read the rest of this article, the site also provides the sounds from this Falcon and many other links to help you learn more about this very majestic raptor.
The Link.
Peregrine Falcon - Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota

Bald Eagle/Haliaeetus leucocephalus

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS
Wingspan 6.5-8 feet; length 31-37 inches. Adults have a dark brown body with a white head and tail, yellow eyes and beak. Immature eagles are all dark with some white mottled in the wings and tail. The eyes and beak are dark. As the birds mature around 4-5 years of age, they start getting the white head and tail, and the the eyes and beak start turning yellow.

RANGE
Formerly distributed across North America, they are now limited to breeding in Alaska, Canada, the northern Great Lakes states, Florida, and the Pacific Northwest. In Minnesota they commonly breed on northern lakes and along the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers. Bald eagles move south for the winter to open water areas that attract large numbers of waterfowl or fish. In Minnesota, this includes the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers and sometimes lakes in the southern part of the state.

HABITAT
Bald eagles nest on the edges of rivers, lakes, or seashores. In winter and on migration, they can be found where there is open water offering sufficient food and evening roost sites.

NESTING
Bald eagles build large stick nests (sometimes weighing over a ton) that are usually about six feet in diameter and more than six feet tall. Nests are built near the top of the largest trees near a river or lake. The birds start nesting in Minnesota in March when the female lays from one to three eggs. The male and female share incubation duties. The young hatch after 35 days and grow very quickly being ready to leave the nest at between 10 and 12 weeks of age.

FEEDING HABITS
Bald eagles commonly feed on fish that they catch themselves, find dead, or pirate from other birds such as ospreys. They also feed on a variety of carrion or live prey including waterfowl and other birds, turtles, and rabbits. Road-killed deer are a favorite and thus lead to many eagles being hit by cars.

RAPTOR CENTER DATA
One of our most common patients, we often receive bald eagles that have been shot, caught in leg hold traps, poisoned, or hit by moving vehicles. Eagles are very difficult birds to maintain in captivity due to their size, strength, and wild nature. We have been involved for many years in reintroduction programs being conducted throughout the Midwest. Other TRC programs include investigations into the effects of lead poisoning, the incidence of chemical contamination in nestling eagles, and the location and use of winter roost areas.

CONSERVATION STATUS
The bald eagle was removed from the endangered species list on July 9, 2007.

The Link
Bald Eagle - Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota