Field Guide/Birds/Haliaeetus leucocephalus

2004-03-26T16:26:04Z

213.10.4.186:

<table border="1" cellspacing="0" align="right" cellpading="2">
<tr><th align="center" bgcolor=pink>'''Bald eagle'''</th></tr>
<tr><td>[[image:bald-eagle.jpg|thumb|250px|center|]]<br>
<tr><th align="center" bgcolor=pink>'''[[Scientific classification]]'''</th></tr>
<tr><td><table align="center">
<tr><td>[[Kingdom (biology)|Kingdom]]:</td><td>[[Animal]]ia</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Phylum (biology)|Phylum]]:</td><td>[[Chordata]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Class (biology)|Class]]:</td><td>[[Aves]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Order (biology)|Order]]:</td><td>[[Falconiformes]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Family (biology)|Family]]:</td><td>[[Accipitridae]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Genus]]:</td><td>''Haliaeetus''</td></tr><tr>
<tr><td>[[Species]]:</td><td>''leucocephalus''</td></tr>
</table>
<tr><th align="center" bgcolor="pink">'''[[Binomial name]]'''</th></tr>
<tr><th>'''''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'''''
</th></tr>
</table>
The '''Bald Eagle''' (''[[Haliaeetus]] leucocephalus'' &dagger;) is a [[raptor]] that breeds in [[Canada]] and the [[USA]], and is the national symbol of the latter country. The species was on the brink of [[extinction]] late in the [[20th century]] but has largely recovered and now has a stable population.

Adult females have a wingspan of approximately 7 feet (2.1 meters); adult males have a wingspan of 6 feet, 6 inches (2 meters). Adult females weigh approximately 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg), males weigh 9 lbs (4.1 kg).

Bald Eagles are sexually mature at 4 or 5 years of age. Mated pairs produce between one and three eggs per year, but it is rare for all three chicks to successfully fledge. Thus, third chicks are sometimes removed from nests to use in [[reintroduction]] programs in areas where the species has died out.

In such programs, the [[bird]]s are raised in boxes, on platforms in the tree canopy, and fed in such a way that they cannot see the person supplying their food, until they are old enough to fly and thus find their own food.

Bald Eagles which are old enough to nest often return to the area in which they were raised. They are more social than many other raptor species: an adult eagle looking for a nesting site is more likely to select a location that contains other immature eagles than one with no eagle population.

The Bald Eagle's diet is varied, including fish, smaller birds, rodents, and sometimes food scavenged or stolen from campsites and picnics.

This species has occurred as a vagrant once in [[Ireland]].

::[[image:Baldie.JPG]]
----
&dagger;<small> ''Haliaeetus'': New Latin from Greek ''haliaetos'' (a sea eagle);<br>''leucocephalus'': Greek ''leukos'' (white) and ''kephale'' (head).</small>

=== External links ===
* [http://images.fws.gov/default.cfm?fuseaction=records.display&CFID=2060719&CFTOKEN=64720564&id=5C7D1A7F%2DF41E%2D4C0A%2D87A4F0A6E628BD0E 11.9" x 8" 1.24 MB Bald Eagle JPEG<br> provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service]

[[da:Hvidhovedet havørn]]
[[nl:Amerikaanse zeearend]]

Field Guide/Birds/Falco peregrinus

2004-03-26T15:46:43Z

213.10.4.186:

<table border="1" cellspacing="0" align="right" cellpading="2" style="margin: 0px 5px 15px 15px">
<tr><th bgcolor=pink>Peregrine Falcon</th></tr>
<tr><td align="center">[[image:Peregrine-Falcon.jpg]]</td></tr>
<tr><th bgcolor=pink>[[Scientific classification]]</th></tr>
<tr><td><table align="center">
<tr><td>[[Kingdom (biology)|Kingdom]]:</td><td>[[Animal]]ia</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Phylum (biology)|Phylum]]:</td><td>[[Chordate|Chordata]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Class (biology)|Class]]:</td><td>[[bird|Aves]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Order (biology)|Order]]:</td><td>[[Falconiformes]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Family (biology)|Family]]:</td><td>[[Falconidae]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Genus]]:</td><td>'''''[[Falcon|Falco]]'''''</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Species]]:</td><td>'''''peregrinus'''''</td></tr>
</table>
<tr><th bgcolor="pink">[[Binomial name]]</th></tr>
<tr><th>''Falco peregrinus''</th></tr>
</table>

The '''Peregrine Falcon''' ('''''Falco peregrinus''''') is a medium-sized [[falcon]] about the size of a large [[crow]]: 15 to 21 inches (38-53 cm) long. It has a wingspan of about 40 inches (1 m). Males weigh 570-710 grams, females weigh 910-1190 grams.

Adult Peregrine Falcons have slate blue-grey wings and backs barred with black. Their undersides are white with light brown stripes. They have white faces with a black stripe on each cheek, and the head is blue-black. They have large dark eyes. The younger birds are darker below and browner. The females are larger than the males.

In [[falconry]], the hen is known as a [[falcon]] and the cock is known as a [[tercel]].

Peregrines eat mostly other birds such as pigeons, shorebirds, starlings, songbirds, parrots, and ducks. They attack their prey by flying high and diving ("stooping") at the victims.

A peregrine's diving speed is often exaggerated, but can exceed 100 miles per hour (160 km/h).

If a Peregrine Falcon lives through its first year, it can live up to 10 years. Most do not survive their first year.

The bird's [[Latin]] name, ''peregrinus'', means "foreigner" or "traveler". This is because wintering birds often wander far from their frequently bleak breeding areas.

== Habitat ==

Peregrine Falcons live mostly along mountain ranges, river valleys, and coastlines. They are widespread in temperate [[Europe]], [[Asia]], [[North America]], and [[Australasia]].

In the [[USA]], Peregrine Falcons used to be most commonly found in parts of the [[Appalachian Mountains]] and nearby valleys from New England south to Georgia, the upper [[Mississippi River]] valley, and the Rocky Mountains. They also lived along the Pacific coast from Mexico north to the Arctic tundra.

The nest is a scrape or depression dug in gravel on a cliff ledge. Sometimes peregrines will nest in a tree cavity or in an old stick nest if no cliff is available. The female usually lays 3 to 5 eggs; the color ranges from reddish white to mottled brown.

==Threats==

The Peregrine Falcon became endangered because of the over-use of pesticides, in particular [[DDT]]. Pesticide build-up interfered with reproduction, thinning eggshells and severely restricting the ability of birds to reproduce themselves. In several parts of the world, including eastern North America, the Peregrine Falcon was wiped out by pesticides. In [[1970]], Peregrine Falcons were put on the US endangered species list.

==Recovery efforts ==

Wildlife services around the world organized Peregrine Falcon recovery teams to breed peregrines in captivity, among other places, at [[Cornell University]].

The birds were fed through a chute so they could not see the human trainers. Then, when they were old enough, the box was opened. This allowed the bird to test its wings. As the bird got stronger the food was reduced because the bird could hunt its own food. This procedure is called hacking. To release a captive-bred falcon, the bird was placed in a special box at the top of a tower or cliff ledge.

Worldwide recovery efforts have been remarkably successful. In the United States, the banning of DDT, over time, made it possible for released birds to breed successfully. There are now dozens of breeding pairs of Peregrine Falcons in the northeastern USA. Many have settled in large cities, including [[New York City|New York]], where they nest on skyscraper window ledges and the towers of suspension bridges. During daytime the falcons have been observed swooping down to catch common city birds such as [[pigeon|pigeons]] and [[starling|starlings]]. The story in many other parts of the world has been similar.

[[de:Wanderfalke]]
[[ja:ハヤブサ]] [[nl:slechtvalk]]
[[pl:Sokół wędrowny]]

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Field Guide/Birds/Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Field Guide/Birds/Falco peregrinus