How to Identify a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

• Head pattern: Usually looks quite dark-headed (Arctic birds paler), with a dark hooded/helmeted effect
• Body pattern: Adult: blue-gray above, narrowly barred below; juveniles browner and streaked below
• Flight silhouette: Long, pointed, swept, tapered wing shape
• Behavior clue: Flies with strong, shallow wingbeats; when diving (stooping) on prey may reach speeds well over 100 mph
• Size: Length 14-19 in (36-49 cm); wingspan 2 ft 7 in-3 ft 9 in (80-114 cm); about the size of a Crow or Mallard

Peregrine Falcon is larger with a dark hooded head effect and long, pointed, swept wings, and dives on prey at speeds well over 100 mph, versus the smaller, less strongly hooded Merlin The Merlin page lists its own marks.

Open country and cliffs from mountains to the coast, sometimes cities; often near water, especially along the coast Permanent resident on the northwest coast and northern Mexico; northern breeders migrate long distances to South America

Dives (stoops) on prey at speeds well over 100 mph after strong, shallow-wingbeat flight

Raptors are usually far away and against the sky, so expose for the bird, not the sky, and take several frames as it turns: the tail shape, wing shape and underwing pattern show best in flight. For a perched bird, get the head and chest in one frame. Size is hard to judge alone; compare with a nearby crow, gull or fence post. The app names the likely species; confirm with the marks above.