There can surely be no other bird that evokes more excitement in casual bird watchers than the peregrine . Hardened expert birders need a 'life tick', something brought to our shores by unique circumstances, to get the pulse racing but lead a party of mere mortals along the cliffs at Durlston and watch the sheer delight and anticipation as a peregrine flashes by .Thankfully sightings of a peregrine falcon are no longer as rare as they were when I started 'birding' back in the 1970's when the population level was very low. Sightings may now be more frequent but I would venture to say they are no less thrilling; the peregrine is certainly the "special one"!
In a stoop down towards an unfortunate and unsuspecting pigeon the peregrine reaches astonishing speeds and is known to be the fastest bird in the list of British avifauna. Indeed, it has been estimated that when stooping in perfect conditions they can reach 200mph. How they survive impact with their prey at these sort of speeds is unfathomable and the poor bird they hit certainly will not survive but at least it is a quick end. Even in straight flight they travel at between 40 and 60mph!
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