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NATURE
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Nature offers a window on global natural history, providing a unique insight into the natural world, the environment, and the magnificent creatures that inhabit it.
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| Brett and Ed Drewitt examine the remains of a peregrine meal |
Peregrines in the City
In the first of a new series of Nature, Brett Westwood enjoys a privileged close encounter with a peregrine falcon, when he joins animal trainer Lloyd Buck and one of his trained birds.
The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal in the world. They are believed to听reach up to 200km/h (124mph) when plunging from the sky after prey.听
Peregrine falcons are traditionally associated with rugged sea cliff faces and quarries, but in recent years there have been more sightings in cities and urban environments, as nature detectives Ed Drewitt and Nick Dixon explain.
Peregrines are highly versatile when it comes to choosing a perch or roost site, using cooling towers, pylons, church spires and tall buildings.听听听From analysis of their food remains, Brett learns how these birds are feeding on a much more diverse range of species than previously thought.听 Furthermore, new findings from Britain, Europe and the States indicate that they are hunting at night; taking advantage of night migrants from their city vantage points.
The peregrine population significantly decreased in the 1960s, following the use of organochlorine pesticides.听听
Now, numbers are on the up - the current UK population is estimated to be about 1,280 pairs,听 about 25 per cent of the total European population. Conservationists are delighted -听but not everyone is happy with the new bird in town.听 If you're a pigeon racer, the sight of a peregrine stooping for prey is not such a magnificent spectacle ....听
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