Today’s quote: 

“With the birds I’ll share this lonely view.” Red Hot Chili Peppers, Scar Tissue

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According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a peregrine is “a powerful falcon found on most continents, breeding chiefly on mountains and coastal cliffs.” I love that they used the word “powerful,” even though they aren’t all that large.

The peregrine has a body length of 13 to 23 inches (34 to 58 cm) and a wingspan of 29 to 47 inches (74 to 120 cm). The male and female have similar markings and plumage but, as with many birds of prey, the peregrine displays marked sexual dimorphism in size, with the female measuring up to 30% larger than the male. And cases of females weighing about 50% more than their male breeding mates are not uncommon. Males weigh 0.73 to 2.20 pounds (330 to 1,000 g) and the noticeably larger females weigh 1.5 to 3.3 pounds (700 to 1,500 g).

The National Park Service describes the peregrine falcon as “one of nature’s swiftest and most beautiful birds of prey.” Its name comes from the Latin word peregrinus, meaning “foreigner” or “traveler.” This impressive bird has long been noted for its speed, grace, and aerial skills. Now, it is also a symbol of America’s recovering threatened and endangered species.

If you happen to be searching for a peaceful read on birdwatching, search no more. I recommend The Peregrine by J. A. Baker. One distinction Baker makes is that male peregrines are called tiercels or tercels while the females are falcons. However, it is generally accepted that all peregrines can be referred to as falcons.

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Brain teaser:

Three 10-letter words are encoded in the following 10 lines. The first line has the first letter of each word, the second line has the second letter of each word, and so on. But the letters are jumbled together on each line. Can you find all three words?

1. AME
2. OPX
3. CPT
4. IIR
5. ETV
6. AEC
7. MTI
8. EAI
9. TON
10. NTE

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A+