Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Family Name: Falconidae
The Peregrine is a large falcon renowned for being one of the fastest flying birds that has reliably been recorded, reaching speeds of 350 kph (217 mph). It reaches these incredible speeds when hunting a range of medium sized birds, as it dives down knocking unsuspecting prey to the ground.
The Peregrine has experienced a turbulent history, from being revered as the noble's favoured falconry bird in the Middle Ages to facing severe population crashes in the 1950s due to DDT causing egg shell thinning. After DDT was banned, populations slowly recovered from the mid-1960s, with the first pair returning to Yorkshire in 1978 and spreading to around 20 sites within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. However, significant problems persist on grouse moors, where no successful breeding has occurred since 1997 despite stable populations elsewhere, suggesting ongoing persecution with no natural explanation for this disparity. The RSPB's viewing scheme at Malham Cove has attracted over 250,000 visitors, generating £1.7m in direct tourism income and contributing £3.5m to the local economy, demonstrating the species' conservation and economic value.
