Meet the peregrine falcon
The Fastest Animal on EARTH!
Built for speed, the Peregrine is the fastest animal on earth, capable of reaching speeds exceeding 240 miles per hour during its hunting dive, known as a stoop. Cruising at altitude, a Peregrine will spot its prey, fold its wings tight against its body, and plummet toward its target with breathtaking precision. The impact alone is often enough to kill, striking mid-air before the prey ever reaches the ground. In urban environments, they prey heavily on pigeons, starlings, and other city birds — making the tall buildings and open skies of Michigan's cities a surprisingly ideal home for one of nature's most impressive hunters.
The Peregrine Falcon is a medium-sized raptor, with females noticeably larger than males — a common trait among birds of prey. Females typically weigh between 1.5 and 2.2 pounds with a wingspan reaching up to 44 inches, while males are roughly a third smaller. Their appearance is distinctive and striking — a blue-gray back, barred white and buff underparts, and the signature dark "mustache" markings that sweep down from each eye against a white cheek. These markings are one of the easiest ways to identify a Peregrine in the field.
The Wanderer
The name "peregrine" comes from the Latin peregrinus, meaning wanderer — and it's a fitting name for a bird with one of the widest natural ranges of any on earth, found on every continent except Antarctica. In North America, they nest from the Arctic tundra of Alaska and Canada south through much of the United States and into Central and South America. Historically in Michigan, Peregrine Falcons nested almost exclusively on the sandstone and granite cliffs of the Upper Peninsula, particularly along the Great Lakes shoreline, the Huron Mountains, and Pictured Rocks.
The Price of DDT
Beginning in the 1950s, Peregrine Falcon populations across North America collapsed due to the widespread use of DDT, a pesticide that accumulated in the food chain and caused eggshells to thin and crack before chicks could hatch. By the mid-1960s, the eastern population had been completely wiped out, and Michigan lost its last known successful nest in 1957. The species was listed as federally endangered in 1969, with the North American population down to roughly 10% of its historic numbers. The ban on DDT in 1972 was a critical turning point — but recovery would take decades of dedicated human effort.
Urban Adaptation
When reintroduction efforts began in the 1980s, wildlife biologists released young falcons in cities rather than attempting to restore them to their historic cliff sites. The gamble paid off remarkably well. Peregrines quickly recognized that skyscrapers, bridges, and power plant stacks offered everything a cliff face could — height, open sightlines, and protection from ground predators — with the added bonus of an abundant food supply in the form of pigeons and starlings. Today, urban nest sites are among the most productive in the country, and for many people, a Peregrine stooping over a downtown skyline is their first encounter with this remarkable bird.
Nest Boxes
Peregrine Falcons naturally nest on bare cliff ledges, and urban rooftops don't always provide the right conditions — smooth surfaces and sloped edges can make it difficult for eggs to survive. Nest boxes solve that problem by providing a stable, sheltered environment that mimics a natural cliff scrape, while also making monitoring and banding efforts much easier. The Michigan Falcon Project is committed to supporting the installation and maintenance of nest boxes at active and potential nest sites across Michigan.
In the Nest
The Peregrine Falcon's breeding season begins in early spring, when established pairs return to their nest site and begin courtship — a spectacular display of aerial acrobatics, dive bombing, and mutual calling between the male and female. The female typically lays three to four eggs in late March or April, and both parents share incubation duties over the following 33 to 35 days. Once hatched, the chicks — known as eyas — are covered in white down and completely dependent on their parents for food and warmth. They grow rapidly, and by three to four weeks of age are ready to be banded.
Branchers
As young Peregrines continue to develop, they begin testing their wings at the edge of the nest — at this stage they are known as branchers. Although fully grown in size, they are not yet strong enough fliers to navigate an urban environment safely. This is one of the most vulnerable periods in a young falcon's life. In an urban environment, branchers sometimes end up on city streets before they are strong enough to fly, requiring rescue and temporary placement with a licensed rehabilitator until they can be safely returned to their parents to complete their flight training. By midsummer, the young falcons have fledged and are learning to hunt alongside their parents before eventually striking out on their own.
Banding
Banding is a critical tool in tracking and understanding Peregrine Falcon populations. Each bird receives two leg bands — a silver federal band, and a larger bicolored alphanumeric band. The larger band is designed to be read in the field without ever handling the bird, often visible through binoculars, a spotting scope, or even a nest cam. The alphanumeric code identifies the individual bird, allowing researchers and volunteers to track its movements, confirm its nesting location, and connect it back to where it was hatched. If you spot a banded Peregrine, recording the band colors and code and reporting it to us is one of the most valuable contributions a citizen scientist can make.
How to Spot
Spotting a Peregrine Falcon in Michigan is more likely than ever thanks to the growing number of urban nest sites. Look for a crow-sized bird with a blue-gray back, pale barred underparts, and distinctive dark mustache markings on either side of the face. In flight they are compact and powerful with long pointed wings. Check tall buildings, bridges, and communication towers — Peregrines favor high exposed perches with a clear view of their surroundings. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to watch. If you spot a banded bird, note the band colors and any numbers or letters you can make out and report them to us — every sighting is valuable data.