Diet
What do peregrine falcons eat?
Birds — pigeons, starlings and shorebirds — struck in mid-air.
Falcons (Falconidae)Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
Spring and summer diet
- Pigeons, doves, starlings and shorebirds
Fall and winter diet
- Pigeons and waterfowl in cities and on coasts
Best feeder foods
- None — a city ledge or cliff is the habitat
Nests on skyscrapers and bridges, hunting feral pigeons; a conservation success story since DDT.
Where peregrine falcons need winter food
Regions where peregrine falcons are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Frequently asked
What do peregrine falcons eat?
Birds — pigeons, starlings and shorebirds — struck in mid-air.
What is the best food to feed peregrine falcons?
None — a city ledge or cliff is the habitat.
What do peregrine falcons eat in winter?
Pigeons and waterfowl in cities and on coasts.
Sources
- Peregrine Falcon — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Peregrine Falcon life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Peregrine Falcon — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.