The fastest animal in the world lives in your backyard

Do you know what the fastest animal in the world is? I’ll give you a second to guess.
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Did you guess? How many of you said “cheetah”?

If you guessed “cheetah”, you would only be right about land animals – the cheetah is the fastest land animal.  But the fastest animal in the world is actually a bird, the Peregrine Falcon, and chances are it lives in your own backyard because Peregrine Falcons live on every continent except Antarctica.  The cheetah can run at speeds of up to 128 kilometers per hour (80 miles per hour), while the peregrine falcon can reach speeds of 389 kilometers per hour (242 miles per hour).

You don’t have to go to Africa to see the fastest animal in the world. The cheetah is the fastest land animal, but the Peregrine Falcon is the fastest of all animals, and it lives on every continent except Antarctica!

Falcons of North America

There are seven falcons that live in North America and two additional rare Eurasian vagrants.  The North American falcons are the American Kestrel, Aplomado Falcon, Crested Caracara, Gyrfalcon, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, and Prairie Falcon.  The Peregrine Falcon has the second-longest wingspan of North American falcons at 120cm (47 inches), while the Crested Caracara and Gyrfalcon have the longest wingspans of falcons in North America, at 129cm (51 inches).  The rest of the falcons in North America are smaller than these three.

How Do I Identify a Falcon vs a Hawk?

Compared to hawks, eagles, and osprey in North America, falcons are, on average, smaller than these other birds of prey.  If you see a very large bird, chances are it’s not a falcon.  However, size is not the best way to identify any bird.  Instead, falcons can be identified by their wing shape and facial markings.   

Falcons have pointed, tapered wings, whereas hawks, eagles, and other birds of prey typically have “fingered” wings, where the primary feathers are more spread out, giving the wing the appearance of having fingers.

In the images below, an American Kestrel is on the left and a Red-Tailed Hawk is on the right.  Notice how the falcon’s wings are tapered to a point, and the hawk’s wings have a fingered appearance.

Falcons also are the only birds of prey in North America that have “mustachial” or “malar” stripes.  These are black stripes that start below the eye and terminate at the chin.  They have the same function as eye black does in football players – they reduce glare from the sun.  Crested Caracaras are the only falcon in North America that don’t have these, and no other bird of prey other than falcons have them in North America.

Below you can see an American Kestrel, a Peregrine Falcon, and a Ferruginous Hawk.  Notice how the Kestrel and Peregrine falcon have a dark stripe from the eye to the chin, while the hawk lacks this feature. The two falcons have a mustachial stripe, while the hawk does not.

Ferruginous Hawk

The Peregrine Falcon

Now that you know how to identify a Peregrine Falcon, let’s learn about them!  The name “Peregrine” comes from the Latin word peregrinus, which means “coming from foreign parts” or “coming from abroad”.  This is reflected in the Peregrine Falcon’s scientific name, Falco peregrinus.  The Peregrine Falcon is the most widespread raptor in the world, and one of the most common bird species in the world.  It lives on every continent except Antarctica. 

The only bird that has a larger geographic range than the Peregrine Falcon is the Rock Dove, or pigeon.  So it makes sense that the Peregrine Falcon would be as widespread as it is – because pigeon is the Peregrine Falcon’s favorite food.

How Do Peregrine Falcons Fly So Fast?

Falcons, as a generalization in North America, are bird-eating birds.  This is why they are shaped the way that they are – they are sleek, small, and fast, with adaptations that support speed and quick aerial movements, such as their tapered wings.  Songbirds are fast and small – so in order to be able to catch them, you have to be faster and more agile than them.

Other birds of prey such as hawks, eagles, and owls rarely eat other birds, because they can’t catch them.  Their bodies have more adaptations that are suited to catching mammals.  But falcons are specially designed to be hunters of other birds.  Some of the adaptations that Peregrine Falcons have that allow them to fly so fast are:

1. Body Shape and Feather Stiffness – falcons are sleek and streamlined, and have tapered wings. When they tuck their wings in to dive, their shape has very little air resistance, which allows them to gain speed.  Their wing feathers are also very stiff, which further reduces air resistance.

2. Tubercles – Falcons have bony structures in their nostrils called “tubercles” that break up the airflow into their nose and prevent air from rushing into the lungs at high speeds during dives. If we revisit this photo, you can see the little spot inside the falcon’s nostril.  This is the tubercle.

3. Nictitating Membrane: All birds have a nictitating membrane, which is a clear third eyelid that runs sideways across their eye. This allows them to see while they fly and dive, while also keeping their eyes moisturized and protecting their eyes from air and dirt.

The nictitating membrane on a Bald Eagle.

4. Special Respiratory and Circulatory Adaptations: Flying and diving at high speeds uses a lot of oxygen. Peregrine Falcons have special adaptations to their respiratory and circulatory systems that allow oxygen to be brought into the bloodstream more quickly than other animals.

Peregrine Falcons’ lungs are supported by two air sacs that keep them perpetually inflated, even when the bird exhales. This helps push more air through the falcon’s lungs more quickly so more oxygen can enter the bloodstream.

Their hearts can beat anywhere between 600-900 beats per minute, which also increases both the amount of oxygen they can take into the blood and the rate at which oxygen travels through the bloodstream.

How Do Peregrine Falcons Hunt?

If you’ve ever played the video game Super Smash Bros, you may be familiar with the phrase “Falcon Punch!”, which is a phrase that the character Captain Falcon yells every time he uses his move by the same name.  Captain Falcon’s name, and his signature move, are aptly named.  Peregrine Falcons kill their prey by diving at it and hitting it in midair with a clenched foot – a literal falcon punch. 

The force from the speed and power of the hit usually kills the prey instantaneously, and the Peregrine Falcon will then turn and grab its prey out of the air and fly away with it.  If it is too heavy to carry, the Peregrine will drop to the ground and consume it there.  They pluck the feathers from their prey before eating it.

As previously mentioned, Peregrine Falcons eat mostly medium-sized birds such as pigeons, ducks, and songbirds.  However, urban Peregrine Falcons (falcons that live in cities) almost exclusively subsist on pigeons.  This is partially why Peregrine Falcons are so successful worldwide – because they have an easy and abundant source of food nearly everywhere.

A kestrel eats a bird on a rooftop. Falcons, in general, have adapted well to living near humans, since human habitation attracts the types of birds that they prey upon.

Where Do Peregrine Falcons Live?

The Peregrine Falcon traditionally lives anywhere with high cliffs, as cliffs are where they most often breed.  Mountain ranges, river valleys, and coastlines that are surrounded by cliffs are all commonly inhabited by Peregrine Falcons. 

However, when humans started building cities with skyscrapers, and these cities began to attract pigeons, the tall, cliff-like skyscrapers became a natural new location for Peregrine Falcons to live and breed, and Peregrine Falcons are now a common urban species.

Peregrine Falcons are not the only raptors that prey on urban pigeons – this Cooper’s Hawk, a type of hawk that, unlike other hawks, is specialized to hunt birds, eats a pigeon on a car.

We Almost Lost the Peregrine Falcon

Unfortunately, all has not always been well for the Peregrine Falcon.  The Peregrine Falcon, the fastest animal in the world, almost exited our lives as fast as it entered it.  In 1945, a pesticide called DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) came onto the market for public use in the United States. 

Due to a process called biomagnification, where the DDT increased in concentration as it rose through the food chain, Peregrine Falcons, along with other raptors such as Bald Eagles and Osprey, had too much pesticide in their fat tissues, and were unable to produce enough calcium to form proper eggshells.  Fewer eggs hatched, and Peregrine Falcons already naturally have a 70% mortality rate in their first year. 

These two factors combined caused Peregrine Falcon numbers to crash.  By 1969, Peregrine Falcons no longer existed in the eastern United States, and they had declined by 80%-90% in the western United States.

In 1970, the Peregrine Falcon was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Conservation Act. In 1972, DDT was banned. And in 1973, only 324 nesting pairs of Peregrine Falcons remained. It took DDT less than 30 years to decimate the populations of multiple large raptors.

Multiple organizations, including the Peregrine Fund, The Fish and Wildlife Service, and many others all contributed to the recovery of the Peregrine Falcon. Birds were bred and raised in captivity, with much care taken to make sure that they didn’t imprint on human handlers, and the ban on DDT allowed wild birds to successfully breed again. On August 25, 1999, 29 years after it was declared Endangered, the Peregrine Falcon was removed from the Endangered Species List, and it is currently considered to be “of least concern”.

A Peregrine Falcon in captivity

The Peregrine Falcon has one of the most dramatic and successful conservation stories of any animal.  The Endangered Species Act has saved 46 species from extinction, including Bald Eagles, Humpback Whales, and Grizzly Bears.  But there is still more work to do.  Plenty of animals, including the California Condor, Whooping Crane, and Blue Whale, still have threatened populations.  And while no North American falcons are currently on the Endangered Species List, the American Kestrel could find itself there soon.  Its population is currently in steep decline due to loss of habitat and use of pesticides.

The California Condor, shown above, is still endangered. In 1967, it was listed as an Endangered Species. In 1982, only 23 Condors were left, and by 1987, they had all been captured and put in a captive breeding program. Today, there are around 446 Condors. A lot of progress has been made, but there is still a lot more work to do.

What Can You Do?

So what can you do to save our feathered friends? First, as I always say, education is the key to solving most conservation problems.  Becoming an advocate for animals and sharing information about them (like this article!) helps spread the word.  But for most birds, there is a more direct impact you can make – you can avoid using pesticides in your own backyard.  If you currently spray your yard or garden for insects, try some different environment-friendly pest control methods instead, such as using diatomaceous earth instead of chemicals. 

You can also plant pollinator-friendly plants, and put up birdhouses and birdfeeders to attract birds to eat insects.  Consider planting native plants instead of ornamental, nonnative ones.  All of these actions will help make your backyard and neighborhood a safer and more friendly place for all species, including birds. 

There is a lot more advice on Critterfacts as well! You can read “10 Simple Ways You Can Help Conserve Birds” by my co-guest-author Lauren Whitenack, or this one from Amy Stilley, “Building a Backyard Habitat that Creates a Healthy Ecosystem”.

Eastern Bluebirds are insectivores, and it’s easy to attract them by putting up birdhouses!

I hope that you enjoyed learning about Peregrine Falcons in this article, and I hope that it has inspired you to make your backyard a more wildlife-friendly place! Tune in again soon for more articles and fun facts about critters from Critterfacts!