Bird of the day: March 16

March 17, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Photo by Heather Wolf

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Peregrine Falcon, seen recently in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Famous as the world’s fastest animal (dive speeds up to nearly 200 miles per hour), the Big Apple Peregrine Falcon finds nesting spots high up in the nooks and crannies of old buildings in New York City. Strong and fast, they hunt from high altitudes, descending on their prey — usually other birds, like the common pigeon in NYC — and kill by impact with their talons. Their prey also includes ducks, songbirds and, shorebirds. Scientific name: Falco peregrinus. Peregrine Falcons became endangered in many regions after World War II because of the widespread use of pesticides. By 1964 they were virtually extinct east of the Mississippi River. The Federal Endangered Species Act of 1969 classified the Peregrine as ‘endangered.’ New York and New Jersey led the Eastern states in conservation efforts beginning in the 1970s. Today, the birds thrive. One Brooklyn bird watcher reports that he was reminded of Peregrine Falcons when watching another ‘dive bomber,’ the Blue-Footed Booby, found in the Galapagos. Boobies dive for fish from high altitudes at speeds up to 100 mph, descending as much as 100 feet in water to grab a fish. Their wings fold back and they resemble arrows shot into the water when they hit the surface. Photo by Heather Wolf, author of BIRDING AT THE BRIDGE. Join the Eagle family of supporters and get daily updates and features (like bird of the day).