Young falcons may stay in the area for about six weeks after they fledge, developing their flying and hunting skills. Both parents participate in incubation and brooding activities, but the female remains at the nest for the majority of the time while the male hunts and brings food to her and the young. The single brood fledges after 35-42 days. The average clutch consists of three to four eggs which hatch after an incubation period of 29-32 days. The pair climbs high in the air and performs a precise acrobatic act of whirling spirals and steep rapid dives, often touching in midair. The courtship flight is a spectacular sight. Field guide to the birds of Australia, 6th Edition.Penguin Books, Australia.Peregrine falcons generally return to the same nesting territory annually and mate for life. Reader's Digest (Australia) Pty Ltd, Sydney. Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds (2nd Edition). University of New South Wales Press, Sydney. Australian Birds of Prey: the Biology and Conservation of Raptors. However, although these birds are not common, they have successfully spread worldwide, and will sometimes nest on artificial structures such as the window ledges of high buildings. Pesticides have been found to thin the eggshells of Peregrine Falcons, decreasing their nesting success in some areas. Clutch size: Two to four, usually three.Young Peregrine Falcons disperse widely, but often return to their original home area to breed when mature. When the young have hatched, both parents hunt to provide food. The female incubates the eggs and is fed by the male on the nest. Rather than building a nest, it lays its eggs in recesses of cliff faces, tree hollows or in the large abandoned nests of other birds. The Peregrine Falcon mates for life and pairs maintain a home range of about 20 km to 30 km square throughout the year. Loud, shrill, repeated: 'hek-ek-ek', with females lower-pitched than males. This co-operative behaviour is most often observed during the breeding season. Pairs may hunt co-operatively, with one member, usually the male, scattering a flock of birds while the other swoops down to attack a particular individual. It will pursue flying birds, being able to fly at speeds of up to 300 km/h, and it soars to a great height in search of prey. It swoops down on its prey from above, catching or stunning it with its powerfully hooked talons, before grasping and carrying it off to a perch to pluck and eat it. The Peregrine Falcon feeds on small and medium-sized birds, as well as rabbits and other day-active mammals. Largely resident, with young birds roaming at random until they are ready to breed. It is also found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. The Peregrine Falcon is found across Australia, but is not common anywhere. It requires abundant prey and secure nest sites, and prefers coastal and inland cliffs or open woodlands near water, and may even be found nesting on high city buildings. The Peregrine Falcon is found in most habitats, from rainforests to the arid zone, and at most altitudes, from the coast to alpine areas. Although widespread throughout the world, it is not a common species. The eye-ring is yellow, with the heavy bill also yellow, tipped black. The long tapered wings have a straight trailing edge in flight and the tail is relatively short. Peregrine Falcons are large, powerfully built raptors (birds of prey), with a black hood, blue-black upperparts and creamy white chin, throat and underparts, which are finely barred from the breast to the tail. The Peregrine Falcon is one of the fastest birds of prey, swooping down at speeds of up to 300 km/h.
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