Their nest is occupied by a mature female peregrine falcon, with fresh food being delivered by her mate on a regular basis to feed her offspring.
Raptors such as peregrine falcons are vital to Adelaide. They are a sign of a healthy ecosystem, and feed on pest species such as feral pigeons and other birds.
The peregrine falcon - what you need to know
In South Australia peregrine falcons are considered rare, indicating you can find them around but there are not lots of them out there. They are protected under the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Act to help reduce the risk of people disturbing them or their nests.
In urban environments, they tend to nest on the ledges of high-rise buildings, so you can help them by avoiding any building maintenance while they are trying to raise a family.
Graceful and powerful, the peregrine falcon holds the title of the fastest animal on Earth! Read on and discover more about this incredible raptor.
Bird overview
The peregrine falcon is the fastest bird in the world, swooping down at speeds of up to 300 km/h. Going this fast has inherent dangers, as they occasionally collide with overhead wires, usually fatal at such speeds. Peregrine falcons live in several major Australian cities, including Adelaide.
They can often be seen soaring above busy city streets, and their harsh chattering calls may be heard by passers by 100 metres below.
Identification
Peregrine falcons are large, powerfully built raptors (birds of prey), with a black hood, blue-black upperparts and creamy white chin, throat and underparts, which are finely barred from the breast to the tail. The long-tapered wings have a straight trailing edge in flight, and the tail is relatively short.
The eye-ring is yellow, with the heavy bill also yellow, tipped black. When fully grown, peregrine falcons are around 34-58 centimetres long with a wingspan of up to 1.2 metres. Females are about 30 per cent larger than males. Their call is a loud shrill, repeated “hek-ek-ek” with females lower pitched than males.
Location
The peregrine falcon is found across Australia but is not common anywhere.
In Adelaide, you can find them in the heart of the city, nesting on the ledges of tall buildings and feeding on pigeons and other birds.
Around South Australia, they can also be spotted near the Devil’s Nose Lookout in Para Wirra Conservation Park as well as Morialta Conservation Park, and the cliffs of Murray River National Park and Morgan Conservation Park.
They are also found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Hunting
Pairs of falcons may hunt prey co-operatively, with one member, usually the male, scattering a flock of birds while the other swoops down to attack a particular individual. This co-operative behaviour is most often observed during the breeding season.
Falcons swoop down on their prey from above, catching or stunning it with their powerfully hooked talons, before grasping and carrying it off to a perch to pluck and eat it. They will pursue flying birds, being able to fly at speeds of up to 300 km/h, and they soar to a great height in search of prey.
Breeding
Peregrine falcons tend to pair for life. They don’t stray too far from a nesting location once established.
Females lay around 3-4 creamy-white eggs with rust-coloured speckles and will incubate the eggs while the male sources the food. When the young have hatched, both parents hunt to provide food, but females will pluck the feathers before feeding it to her chicks.
By six weeks of age young peregrine falcons are fully independent and learn to catch their prey from watching their parents.
Young peregrine falcons usually reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years old, and we live up to 15 years.
The information on this page was developed in partnership with Green Adelaide and BirdLife Australia.