Subject: peregrine speed From: Mark and Katie Booth <mbooth(AT)IN.NET> Date: 4 Feb 2002 1:25pm
Hi! In response to the comment Ron Weiss posted last week about the Animal = =3D Planet show with the skydiver and the peregrine, (filmed in England) =3D here is some of the info that I have.=3D20 In "The Stoop of a Falcon: how fast, how steep, how high", by Vance A. = =3D Tucker, Dept of Zoology, Duke University 1999, he writes,=3D20 "recently, two more studies using methods of known accuracy (radar, and =3D a computerized optical tracking device) have reported diving speeds of = =3D 114 mph in a peregrine (Peter and Kestenholtz, 1998), 130 mph in a =3D gyrfalcon trained for falconry, and in excess of 160 mph in peregrines = =3D (Tucker et al., 1998)." He also notes however that how fast they do fly =3D and how fast they can fly are two different things. In elaborate =3D studies involving a falconry gyrfalcon, they noted that the bird quickly =3D attained a speed of around 130 mph from a height of 1640 feet above the =3D ground, increased his drag (opened wings, etc.) to maintain that speed = =3D until he came closer to his target when he increased his drag again to = =3D slow down before impact. Remember, however, that this bird considered = =3D the prey offered as "easy" targets. Controlling his rate of descent and =3D angle of attack was more important that high speed. They don't just =3D "drop out of the sky" as fast as possible, they control their attacks = =3D quite carefully. In a related study, using a tiny accelerometer =3D attached to the birds, G-forces in excess of 25 were recorded during the =3D falcons aerial maneuverings. Apparently 5 Gs knocks fighter pilots out. In "Vertical Flight" by Ken Franklin they took several films of trained =3D peregrines flying with skydivers and recorded speeds in excess of 200 = =3D mph. He showed some very amazing photos of the falcons at different =3D speeds and how they align their bodies and wings to reduce drag. =3D Apparently, some of his footage has been picked up for viewing on =3D National Geographic this coming spring. On the other hand, as incredible as falcons are, I have personally seen =3D many falcon stoops that ended in a miss. I've seen racing homer pigeons =3D and pheasants outfly peregrines on a straight a way. So just like most =3D predators, they usually only catch the old, sick, weak and injured. Or =3D slower. =3D20 Good birding, Mark L. Booth Director, Take Flight! Wildlife Education Mark Alt Brooklyn Center, MN [email protected] "Birds and their songs are important to me, they add to my enjoyment of life"=20
