Scientific name: Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771
Bird group: Birds-of-prey
Field characters. Length 39-50 cm; wingspan 95-115 cm. A compact falcon with long, pointed wings, a relatively short tail, and with a characteristic swift and direct flight with a few rapid wing beats alternated by long glides on extended wings. Upperparts dark blue-grey with crown, sides of head and well-developed moustachial stripe black; underparts buffy-white and barred black. Female larger and darker than male. Juvenile dark brown above with whitish underparts streaked, not barred.
Voice. Vocal during the breeding season, main call a screaming chatter: "kek-kek-kek-kek-kek...".
Distribution. Scarce breeding bird. Populations in north and north-east migratory, those in south and west resident.
Habitat. Prefers open country, moors, mountain-sides and wetlands, and usually requires cliffs, towers, or ruins for breeding.
Food. Uses a variety of hunting techniques but usually catches and kills prey in air or strikes it on ground. Stoops onto prey after pursuit flight. Diet consists mainly of a variety of birds, ranging in size from Goldcrest to Grey Heron.