The peregrine falcon also known as the peregrine and historically as the duck hawk in North America is a widespread bird of prey. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-grey back, barred white under parts, and a black head. As is typical of bird-eating raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic, with females being considerably larger than males.
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 member of the animal kingdom. According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph).
