The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head.
The peregrine falcon has a body length of 34 to 58 cm (13 - 23 in) and a wingspan from 74 to 120 cm (29 - 47 in). The male and female have similar markings and plumage, but as in many birds of prey the peregrine falcon displays marked sexual dimorphism in size, with the female measuring up to 30% larger than the male. Males weigh 330 to 1,000 g (0.73 - 2.20 lb) and the noticeably larger females weigh 700 to 1,500 g (1.5 - 3.3 lb).
The Peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest bird in the world and the fastest member of the animal kingdom.
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