
This week, we were lucky enough to have a visit from Alex, a falconer and friend of the preschool who brought his three-year-old Peregrine Falcon, Mel, by the school to teach us a little bit about these amazing birds.
Peregrine Falcons are raptors, a group that includes owls, hawks, falcons, vultures, and our locally beloved ospreys. Raptors can be identified by their strong, gripping feet and talons (for catching their prey), sharp beaks (for tearing meat), and big eyes on the front of their heads which can clearly spot prey up to several miles away.
We learned that Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animals in the world, and can fly at speeds of over 200 miles per hour when they’re plummeting down to the ground to catch their prey. In fact, the birds' unique anatomy has even inspired the design of fighter jets.
Peregrine Falcons are raptors, a group that includes owls, hawks, falcons, vultures, and our locally beloved ospreys. Raptors can be identified by their strong, gripping feet and talons (for catching their prey), sharp beaks (for tearing meat), and big eyes on the front of their heads which can clearly spot prey up to several miles away.
We learned that Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animals in the world, and can fly at speeds of over 200 miles per hour when they’re plummeting down to the ground to catch their prey. In fact, the birds' unique anatomy has even inspired the design of fighter jets.
It was an informative visit, which became unexpectedly exciting and noisy when a group of about ten Stellar’s Jays spotted the falcon, and started calling out alarms from the treetops above the school. Mel was trying to be on her best behavior, but became noticeably agitated by the jays.
If you’re interested in finding out more about raptors in our region, check out the blog of Raptors of the Rockies, or this Big Sky Journal article about a falconer in Wyoming.
Thanks, Alex and Mel!
Thanks, Alex and Mel!