Our Birds’ Stories Like all the residents of the Draper Museum Raptor Experience, our American Kestrels are in our care because they can no longer survive in the wild. Our male kestrel, Salem, arrived at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West on December 30, 2013. He had been rescued by the folks at Second […]
How Speedy is a Peregrine? Peregrine Falcons are speedy birds that are popular with bird watchers and falconers all over the world. The peregrine has been used for over 4,000 years in falconry and are arguably the fastest animal on the planet. Their spectacular dives and quick chases are a wonder to behold. According to Cornell […]
Raptors worldwide regularly dine on a wide variety of prey. In the wild we can thank raptors such as Red-tailed Hawks and Rough-legged Hawks for killing thousands of pests including mice, rats, and voles. Many urban areas can give credit to peregrine falcons for helping out with their pigeon and starling problems. Across the globe, […]
The term falcon refers to a bird of prey that has distinct differences when compared to raptors such as eagles and hawks. A few of the most common falcon characteristics are: Falcons typically have long, pointed wings and generally fly faster than hawks of similar sizes. Unlike hawks and eagles, Falcons have a tomial tooth. […]
Hacking is a common term that seems to come up in every article and book I read about the successful recovery and reintroduction of the Peregrine Falcon. The term is usually described as a controlled way to raise and release falcons into a viable environment. Unfortunately, there’s usually no good explanation on how this is actually […]
If you like birds (even if you aren’t an avid bird watcher), there are probably a few species that you haven’t seen in the wild, but would like to. My Bird Bucket List (BBL) has changed over the years, not just because I have seen some of the birds on my list, but because my […]