Mainly feral pigeons but also occasionally smaller birds, also wildfowl and waders, jackdaw, magpie, and perhaps smaller gulls. Both birds will hunt and bring food in for the young birds after hatching, and they are very attentive. ![]() Most incubation is done by the female, but the male will sit on the eggs while the female is feeding, and often brings prey in for her to take away to a favourite feed perch. Q Do both parents look after the eggs and young? Otherwise there could be uneven competition for food and the smallest, if too small, may lose out. They will then tend to hatch together and be a similar size as they grow. During the first layings, usually 2 days apart, the eggs are not incubated until the penultimate egg, and often left unattended (although they are usually watching). Q How many eggs do they lay, and why do they sometimes leave them unprotected?įrom 2 to 5 but usually 3 or 4. There can be disputes though and sometimes individuals are replaced, occasionally after fierce fighting. ![]() Technically no, but they do return to the same nest site each year to breed so this often results in a regular breeding pair if both survive. Worldwide there may be over 250,000 individuals and they occur on all continents except Antarctica. Q How many peregrines are there in the UK?Ībout 1750 pairs, including 30 pairs in London. The scientific name for peregrines is Falco Peregrinus. In some countries they can migrate with the seasons. Outside the breeding season the birds can travel widely although in the UK they tend to be more localised. It comes from the Latin word “peregrinus” which means wanderer or pilgrim. The oldest recorded peregrine in the wild is 19 years 9 months in Minnesota, USA. Mortality can be up to 70% in the first two years, but if the birds survive that they can live11-15 years, but the average is 6 to 8 years.
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