African Wildlife & Environment Issue 74

BIRDING

The revered PEREGRINE FALCON

The Peregrine Falcon is a swift and very agile bird of prey, with pointed wings and a relatively short tail. Sexes are alike except for size - the female is larger. The upperparts are dark slate- grey, shading to blue-grey on rump. The cap is blackish, extending into prominent malar stripes below eyes, mostly white buffy breast, spotted and finely barred on belly and undertail. At rest wingtips extend beyond end of tail, in flight, underwing finely barred. The iris dark brown, bill blue grey; cere, eye ring, legs and feet are yellow.

The late Willie Froneman

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