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Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
IUCN Red List history
| Year | Category |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Least Concern |
| 2009 | Least Concern |
| 2008 | Least Concern |
| 2004 | Least Concern |
| 2000 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1994 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
| 1988 | Lower Risk/Least Concern |
Species attributes
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | Low |
| Land mass type | Average mass | - |
Distribution
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence breeding/resident (km2) | 46,200,000 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence non-breeding (km2) | 59,600,000 | medium |
| Number of locations | - | |
| Fragmentation | - |
Population & trend
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. of mature individuals | poor | Estimated | 2009 | |
| Population trend | Stable | - | ||
| Number of subpopulations | - | - | - | |
| Largest subpopulation | - | - | - | |
| Generation length (yrs) | 6.8 | - | - | - |
| Population justification: The global population is estimated to number c.1,200,000 individuals (Rich et al. 2004), while population estimates include: c.100-100,000 breeding pairs and c.50-10,000 wintering individuals in China; < c.100 breeding pairs, c.50-1,000 individuals on migration and c.50-1,000 wintering individuals in Taiwan; c.100-10,000 breeding pairs in Korea; c.100-10,000 breeding pairs in Japan and c.10,000-100,000 breeding pairs and c.1,000-10,000 individuals on migration in Russia (Brazil 2009). | ||||
| Trend justification: The overall trend is likely to be stable. This species has undergone a large and statistically significant increase over the last 40 years in North America (2600% increase over 40 years, equating to a 127% increase per decade; data from Breeding Bird Survey and/or Christmas Bird Count: Butcher and Niven 2007). Note, however, that these surveys cover less than 50% of the species's range in North America. | ||||
Country/Territory distribution
| Country/Territory | Occurrence status | Extinct | Breeding | Non-breeding | Passage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Albania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Algeria | Native | No | |||
| Andorra | Native | No | |||
| Angola | Native | No | |||
| Anguilla (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Native | No | |||
| Argentina | Native | No | |||
| Armenia | Native | No | |||
| Aruba (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Australia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Austria | Native | No | |||
| Azerbaijan | Native | No | |||
| Bahamas | Native | No | |||
| Bahrain | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Bangladesh | Native | No | |||
| Barbados | Native | No | |||
| Belarus | Native | No | |||
| Belgium | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Belize | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Benin | Native | No | |||
| Bermuda (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Bhutan | Native | No | |||
| Bolivia | Native | No | |||
| Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Botswana | Native | No | |||
| Brazil | Native | No | |||
| Brunei | Native | No | |||
| Bulgaria | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Burkina Faso | Native | No | |||
| Burundi | Vagrant | No | |||
| Cambodia | Native | No | |||
| Cameroon | Native | No | |||
| Canada | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Cape Verde | Native | No | |||
| Cayman Islands (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Côte d'Ivoire | Native | No | |||
| Central African Republic | Native | No | |||
| Chad | Native | No | |||
| Chile | Native | No | |||
| China (mainland) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Christmas Island (to Australia) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Colombia | Native | No | |||
| Comoros | Native | No | |||
| Congo | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Congo, The Democratic Republic of the | Native | No | |||
| Costa Rica | Native | No | |||
| Croatia | Native | No | |||
| Cuba | Native | No | |||
| Curaçao (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Cyprus | Native | No | |||
| Czech Republic | Native | No | |||
| Denmark | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Djibouti | Native | No | |||
| Dominica | Native | No | |||
| Dominican Republic | Native | No | |||
| Ecuador | Native | No | |||
| Egypt | Native | No | |||
| El Salvador | Native | No | |||
| Equatorial Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Eritrea | Native | No | |||
| Estonia | Native | No | |||
| Ethiopia | Native | No | |||
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | Native | No | |||
| Faroe Islands (to Denmark) | Vagrant | No | |||
| Fiji | Native | No | |||
| Finland | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| France | Native | No | Yes | ||
| French Guiana | Native | No | |||
| Gabon | Native | No | |||
| Gambia | Native | No | |||
| Georgia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Germany | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ghana | Native | No | |||
| Gibraltar (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Greece | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Greenland (to Denmark) | Native | No | |||
| Grenada | Native | No | |||
| Guadeloupe (to France) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guam (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Guatemala | Native | No | |||
| Guinea | Native | No | |||
| Guinea-Bissau | Native | No | |||
| Guyana | Native | No | |||
| Haiti | Native | No | |||
| Honduras | Native | No | |||
| Hong Kong (China) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Hungary | Native | No | |||
| Iceland | Vagrant | No | |||
| India | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Indonesia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Iraq | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Ireland | Native | No | |||
| Israel | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Italy | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Jamaica | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Japan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Jordan | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kazakhstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Kenya | Native | No | |||
| Kuwait | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Kyrgyzstan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Laos | Native | No | |||
| Latvia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Lebanon | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Lesotho | Native | No | |||
| Liberia | Native | No | |||
| Libya | Native | No | |||
| Liechtenstein | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Lithuania | Native | No | |||
| Luxembourg | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Macao (China) | Native | No | |||
| Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of | Native | No | |||
| Madagascar | Native | No | |||
| Malawi | Native | No | |||
| Malaysia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Maldives | Vagrant | No | |||
| Mali | Native | No | |||
| Malta | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Martinique (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Mauritania | Native | No | |||
| Mauritius | Vagrant | No | |||
| Mayotte (to France) | Native | No | |||
| Mexico | Native | No | |||
| Micronesia, Federated States of | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Moldova | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Mongolia | Native | No | |||
| Montenegro | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Montserrat (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Morocco | Native | No | |||
| Mozambique | Native | No | |||
| Myanmar | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Namibia | Native | No | |||
| Nepal | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Netherlands | Native | No | |||
| New Caledonia (to France) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Nicaragua | Native | No | |||
| Niger | Native | No | |||
| Nigeria | Native | No | |||
| North Korea | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Northern Mariana Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Norway | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Oman | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Pakistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Palau | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Panama | Native | No | |||
| Papua New Guinea | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Paraguay | Native | No | |||
| Peru | Native | No | |||
| Philippines | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Poland | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Portugal | Native | No | |||
| Puerto Rico (to USA) | Native | No | |||
| Qatar | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Romania | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (Central Asian) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Russia (European) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Rwanda | Native | No | |||
| Samoa | Vagrant | No | |||
| Saudi Arabia | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Senegal | Native | No | |||
| Serbia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Seychelles | Vagrant | No | |||
| Sierra Leone | Native | No | |||
| Singapore | Native | No | |||
| Sint Maarten (to Netherlands) | Native | No | |||
| Slovakia | Native | No | |||
| Slovenia | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Solomon Islands | Native | No | |||
| Somalia | Native | No | |||
| South Africa | Native | No | |||
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | Native | No | |||
| South Korea | Native | No | |||
| South Sudan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Spain | Native | No | |||
| Sri Lanka | Native | No | Yes | ||
| St Kitts and Nevis | Native | No | |||
| St Lucia | Native | No | |||
| St Martin (to France) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| St Pierre and Miquelon (to France) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | Native | No | |||
| Sudan | Native | No | |||
| Suriname | Native | No | |||
| Swaziland | Native | No | |||
| Sweden | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Switzerland | Native | No | |||
| Syria | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Taiwan (China) | Native | No | |||
| Tajikistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Tanzania | Native | No | |||
| Thailand | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Timor-Leste | Native | No | |||
| Togo | Native | No | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Native | No | |||
| Tunisia | Native | No | |||
| Turkey | Native | No | |||
| Turkmenistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Turks and Caicos Islands (to UK) | Native | No | |||
| Uganda | Native | No | |||
| Ukraine | Native | No | Yes | ||
| United Arab Emirates | Native | No | Yes | Yes | |
| United Kingdom | Native | No | |||
| United States Minor Outlying Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Uruguay | Native | No | Yes | ||
| USA | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Uzbekistan | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Vanuatu | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Venezuela | Native | No | |||
| Vietnam | Native | No | |||
| Virgin Islands (to UK) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Virgin Islands (to USA) | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Western Sahara | Native | No | |||
| Yemen | Native | No | Yes | ||
| Zambia | Native | No | |||
| Zimbabwe | Native | No |
Important Bird Areas where this species has triggered the IBA criteria
| Country/Territory | IBA Name | IBA link |
|---|---|---|
| Armenia | Meghri |  |
| Austria | Ötscher-Dürrenstein | |
| Austria | Northern Kalkalpen | |
| Austria | Styrian Enns valley | |
| Bulgaria | Central Balkan | |
| Bulgaria | Dobrostan | |
| Bulgaria | Kotlenska Mountain | |
| Bulgaria | Pirin | |
| Bulgaria | Rila | |
| Bulgaria | Trigrad-Mursalitsa | |
| Bulgaria | Vrachanski Balkan | |
| Bulgaria | Western Balkan | |
| Canada | Tadoussac | |
| Cape Verde | Central mountain range of Ilha de São Nicolau | |
| Cape Verde | Ilhéu Branco | |
| Cape Verde | Ilhéus do Rombo | |
| Cape Verde | Serra do Pico da Antónia | |
| Cyprus | Akamas Peninsula | |
| Cyprus | Akrotiri Peninsula - Episkopi Cliffs | |
| Cyprus | Cape Aspro | |
| Cyprus | Pentadaktylos Mountains | |
| Cyprus | Vouni Panagias - Agios Ioannis Cliffs | |
| Czech Republic | Broumovsko | |
| Czech Republic | Labské pískovce sandstones | |
| France | Arrière Côte de Dijon et de Beaune | |
| France | Golfe de Porto, presqu'île de Scandola et golfe de Galeria | |
| France | Gorges de la Dordogne | |
| France | Gorges de la Dourbie et causses avoisinants | |
| France | Gorges de la Frau et Belestat | |
| France | Gorges de la Truyère | |
| France | Gorges du Tarn et de la Jonte | |
| France | Haut Giffre | |
| France | Haute chaîne du Jura: défilé de l'écluse, Etournel et Mont Vuache | |
| France | Haute Cize : Pic d'Errozate et Forêt d'Orion | |
| France | Haute Soule : massif de la Pierre-St-Martin. | |
| France | Hautes Corbières | |
| France | Hautes Vallées d'Aspe et d'Ossau | |
| France | Hauts Plateaux du Vercors et Forêt des Coulmes | |
| France | Les Bauges | |
| France | Massif des Vosges: Hautes Vosges | |
| France | Massif du Canigou-Carança | |
| France | Massif du Madres et Mont Coronat | |
| France | Minervois | |
| France | Montagne des Frêtes et plateau des Glières | |
| France | Parc National de la Vanoise | |
| France | Parc National des Cévennes | |
| France | Parc National des Ecrins | |
| France | Parc National du Mercantour | |
| France | Zones rupestres du Tarasconnais et massif d'Aston | |
| Greece | Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros island group | |
| Greece | Lefka mountains | |
| Greece | Mount Zakrou | |
| Greece | Southern and eastern part of Mount Parnassos | |
| Ireland | Wicklow Mountains | |
| Norway | Nordre Øyeren and Sørumsneset | |
| Poland | Karkonosze Mountains | |
| Poland | Lower Odra river valley | |
| Poland | Pieniny Mountains | |
| Poland | Tatra mountains | |
| Portugal | Berlenga and Farilhões islands | |
| Portugal | Cabo Espichel | |
| Portugal | Gerês mountains | |
| Portugal | Montesinho and Nogueira mountains | |
| Portugal | Ponta da Piedade | |
| Portugal | Sabôr and Maçãs | |
| Portugal | Serra de Penha Garcia e Campina de Toulões | |
| Portugal | Serras do Alvão e Marão | |
| Portugal | South-west coast of Portugal | |
| Portugal | Upper River Douro and Águeda valleys | |
| Romania | Almăjului Mountains - Locvei | |
| Romania | Caraş gorge - Semenic Mountains | |
| Romania | Domogled - Cernei valley | |
| Romania | Igniş Mountains - Creasta Cocoşului | |
| Romania | Metaliferi Mountains | |
| Romania | Nerei gorge - Beuşniţa | |
| Romania | Padiş - Vlădeasa mountain | |
| Romania | Piatra Şoimului - Scorţeni - Gârleni | |
| Romania | Retezat Mountains | |
| Romania | Trascău Mountains | |
| Russia (European) | Kraka Mountain | |
| Russia (European) | Mountain valley of Zilim river | |
| Russia (European) | Ponoiskaya depression | |
| Russia (European) | Teberdinski Nature Reserve | |
| Russia (European) | Ufimskoye plateau | |
| Russia (European) | Uryuk | |
| Russia (European) | Vaygach island | |
| Serbia | Prokletije | |
| Serbia | Sara mountain | |
| Serbia | Stara mountain-Vidlic | |
| Serbia | Tara mountain | |
| Serbia | Uvac-Milesevka | |
| Slovenia | Grintovci | |
| Slovenia | Julijci | |
| Slovenia | Kočevsko | |
| Slovenia | Rocky faces of Posavsko hribovje | |
| Slovenia | Vipavski rob | |
| Spain | Alcarama mountain and Alhama river | |
| Spain | Alto Lozoya-La Pedriza | |
| Spain | Archipelago of Cabrera | |
| Spain | Arribes del Duero-Fermoselle | |
| Spain | Ayllón mountain range | |
| Spain | Babia-Somiedo | |
| Spain | Belagua-Ansó-Hecho | |
| Spain | Burete, Cambrón and Espuña mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Cala Salada - Illa d'en Calders | |
| Spain | Canyons on the middle section of the Cabriel river | |
| Spain | Cape Busto-Luanco | |
| Spain | Cardó, Tivissa and Llabería mountains | |
| Spain | Cazorla and Segura mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Cortados del Jarama | |
| Spain | Cuenca mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Espadán mountain range | |
| Spain | Gorges of Iregua, Leza and Jubera | |
| Spain | Guara mountain range | |
| Spain | La Losa-Orduña (Salvada mountain range) | |
| Spain | La Safor and North Alicante mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Leyre, Illón and San Miguel mountain ranges | |
| Spain | María mountain range-Los Vélez | |
| Spain | Marina mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Montes Aquilanos range | |
| Spain | Montsant and Prades mountains | |
| Spain | Montsech and Montgai mountains | |
| Spain | Moratalla mountain range | |
| Spain | Mountain range and saltpans at Cabo de Gata | |
| Spain | Mountains of Barcelona | |
| Spain | Muela mountain range and Cape Tiñoso | |
| Spain | North and east coasts of Minorca and island of Aire | |
| Spain | Obarenes mountains | |
| Spain | Pass of Beceite-Turmell mountain | |
| Spain | Peña de Francia | |
| Spain | Pila mountain range | |
| Spain | Prelittoral mountain ranges of Granada | |
| Spain | Ravines and pinewoods in central Minorca | |
| Spain | Río Huebra-Arribes del Duero | |
| Spain | Ricote and Nevela mountain ranges | |
| Spain | River Martín canyons and Arcos mountain range | |
| Spain | Rivers Cabriel and Júcar canyons | |
| Spain | Tina Menor-Sarnosa island-Oyambre | |
| Spain | Torrecilla and Gigante mountain ranges | |
| Spain | Tramuntana mountains | |
| Spain | Upper sections of the rivers Tajo and Tajuña | |
| Spain | Urdaibai - Matxitxako | |
| Spain | Valdegovía-Arcena mountain range | |
| Sweden | Lake Limsjön | |
| Switzerland | Central Valais between Sierre and Visp | |
| Switzerland | Jura mountains of Baselland - Solothurn | |
| Switzerland | Pre-alpine region of Pays d'Enhaut | |
| Switzerland | Upper Toggenburg and Säntis | |
| United Kingdom | Antrim Hills | |
| United Kingdom | Berwyn | |
| United Kingdom | Bowland Fells | |
| United Kingdom | Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands | |
| United Kingdom | Elenydd - Mallaen | |
| United Kingdom | Exmoor Coast and Heaths | |
| United Kingdom | Galloway Forest Park | |
| United Kingdom | Glannau Aberdaron and Ynys Enlli | |
| United Kingdom | Grampian Mountains | |
| United Kingdom | Migneint - Arenig - Dduallt | |
| United Kingdom | Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands | |
| United Kingdom | North Lowther Hills | |
| United Kingdom | North Pennine Moors | |
| United Kingdom | Pembrokeshire Cliffs | |
| United Kingdom | South Pennine and Peak District Moors | |
| United Kingdom | South Pennine Moors | |
| United Kingdom | West Penwith Coast and Moors | |
| United Kingdom | Yorkshire Dale Moorlands | |
Habitats & altitude
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Urban Areas | suitable | breeding |
| Artificial/Terrestrial | Urban Areas | suitable | non-breeding |
| Desert | Hot | suitable | breeding |
| Desert | Hot | suitable | non-breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | breeding |
| Forest | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Forest | Temperate | suitable | non-breeding |
| Forest | Temperate | suitable | breeding |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | breeding |
| Grassland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Grassland | Tundra | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Mud Flats and Salt Flats | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Rocky Shoreline | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Salt Marshes (Emergent Grasses) | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc | suitable | non-breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | breeding |
| Marine Intertidal | Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches | suitable | non-breeding |
| Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks) | major | breeding | |
| Savanna | Dry | suitable | breeding |
| Savanna | Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Shrubland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | non-breeding |
| Shrubland | Subtropical/Tropical Dry | suitable | breeding |
| Shrubland | Temperate | suitable | breeding |
| Wetlands (inland) | Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands | suitable | non-breeding |
| Altitude | 0 - 3300 m | Occasional altitudinal limits | (max) 4000 m |
Utilisation
| Purpose | Primary form used | Life stage used | Source | Scale | Level | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Food (human) | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Pets | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | International | Non-trivial | Recent |
| Sport | Whole | Adults and juveniles | Wild | Subsistence, National | Non-trivial | Recent |
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Falco peregrinus. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013.
This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Current IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
| Family | Falconidae (Falcons and caracaras) |
| Species name author | Tunstall, 1771 |
| Population size | mature individuals |
| Population trend | Stable |
| Distribution size (breeding/resident) | 46,200,000 km2 |
| Country endemic? | No |
| Links to further information | |
|
- Summary information on this species - Climate change species distributions | |
|
|