Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Raptors are always interesting birds and the Peregrine Falcon is amongst my favourites.

They have incredible speed and agility which enables them to catch their prey (predominately other birds) on the wing. They have also adapted to humans and are well known in Melbourne where there is a live feed of a nest on the 36th floor of 367 Collins Street. We were recently in the UK and found this nest in Tewkesbury Abbey in the Cotswold. There are three chicks which have now fledged and can be followed on Facebook by searching Tewkesbury Abbey Falcons.

When we lived in Sydney it was at Alfords Point in the western Sutherland Shire, near the Georges River. There were a pair of White Bellied Sea Eagles and a pair of Peregrine Falcons living west of us on the river. There must have been good thermals near us as both of them regularly rose into the sky opposite us. I could sit in my backyard and often see them. On occasions they both came up at the same time and the falcon would attack. It was not unusual to see the Eagles attacked by ravens and magpie larks trying to shoo them away from their nest areas. Generally the eagles ignored these attacks and soared higher until the other birds could not follow. That was not the case with the falcons. The eagles would adjust their body so their legs faced the falcon and use their talons to fend it off.

They also watched intently the falcon's every move. In the picture to the left the eagle is actually braking midflight to let the falcon pass. It still has its talons ready should it need them. I never saw either bird injured in these exchanges.

On one occasion the eagle was being harassed by a magpie lark when the falcon came in view. It positioned itself around 50 metres behind the eagle, watching intently. The lark was concentrating on the eagle and did not see the danger. Eventually it gave up harassing and headed for the ground with the falcon in rapid pursuit. It realised its impending peril and dove for cover. Unfortunately, they went behind trees, so I did not see if the attack was successful.

One afternoon I was sitting out the back when I saw two falcons attacking each other. For about an hour they flew at speed over the river attacking each other. They covered a kilometre, back and forward and at different heights. Sometimes above me, sometimes down towards the river, continually soaring, diving and parrying.

I watched with awe as the parent taught the juvenile how to attack and how to defend itself. A fascinating lesson. The following day I hoped it would be repeated but this time the lesson was conducted at height. Way up above me, almost out of sight the birds were attacking and parrying.

In Jervis Bay I have seen the falcons infrequently. The most interesting time was in Sanctuary point where the parent positioned the juvenile atop a large tree and went off to hunt. The adult went out of my eyesight but was being watched intently by the juvenile. For almost 30 minutes it sat watching in one direction and then took off in that direction. Presumably the adult had made a kill and the juvenile wanted lunch.