I have some fun facts about peregrine falcons for you to use in your unit study. Also, grab my Peregrine Falcon Unit Study and Lapbook for more ideas.
The peregrine falcon is one of the most fascinating birds of prey, known for its incredible speed, keen eyesight, and presence around the world.
We are going to explore the life, behavior, and habitat of peregrine falcons while incorporating creative learning through watercolor painting.
Ideal for upper elementary through high school homeschoolers, this study can be adapted to various learning levels. Peregrines are incredibly adaptable.
They live in mountains, coastal cliffs, deserts, and even urban areas; you will find them on every continent except Antarctica.
In cities, they often nest on tall buildings or bridges, using them like cliffs. This adaptability helped them make a remarkable comeback after being endangered in the mid-20th century due to pesticide use (especially DDT).
For fun and science exploration we are going to do a simple watercolor painting of a Peregrine Falcon.
I am not claiming to be a watercolor expert, I am a mom who had to learn some things herself to teach my own child. Plus, it’s just downright fun for me as well!
BOOKS ABOUT BIRDS OF PREY
Next look at these books about birds of prey.
Bird Of Prey and Peregrine Falcon Resources
Add these books and resources to your unit study about bird of prey or peregrine falcons.
Great book for any boy or girl who wants to live outdoor and experience nature.
Join a young girl and her father, the falconer at a medieval castle, as they experience the joys of taking a goshawk out for a training flight
Peregrine Spring, Nancy Cowan’s memoir of her thirty years living intimately with raptors, gives us a new perspective on the relationship between humans and the natural world. Cowan shares her experiences running a world-famous falconry school, and the lessons she's learned from her birds.
This meticulously researched and photographed account follows three University of Montana scientists and their interdisciplinary work with osprey: fish-catching birds with gigantic nests and a family that functions with teamwork and cooperation.
Talons: North American Birds of Prey by M. Miller & C. Nelson, present color illustrations along with names, size, range, & description of these predators.
Acclaimed naturalist and illustrator Jim Arnosky helps birds and imaginations take glorious flight in this breathtaking nonfiction picture book with six giant gatefolds.Arnosky will draw out kids'
inner explorer as he explains why there are no feathers on a vulture's head, which bird is the deep-diving champ, what makes an owls's wings perfectly silent in flight, and much more.
Great book for beginners.
But before that let me give you some facts and fantastic activities to fill out this mini unit and help your child soar through it.
7 FUN FACTS ABOUT PEREGRINE FALCONS
- Peregrine falcons mate for life. Both peregrine parents care for the chicks, but the female is larger and does most of the brooding. The male (called a tiercel) is smaller and faster, making him the better hunter during nesting season.
- The word “peregrine” means “wanderer” which is fitting, since some migrate thousands of miles.
- Falconry is the practice of training birds of prey and often uses peregrines due to their speed and intelligence.
- Peregrine falcons are aerodynamic masters. When diving to catch prey, their wings tuck tight to their bodies, reducing drag and increasing speed. Their top recorded dive speed is 242 mph, faster than a Formula One car or a skydiver.
- A peregrine’s eyesight is about 8 times better than a human’s. They can spot a pigeon from over a mile away. Their eyes are protected by a nictitating membrane, a third eyelid that acts like goggles while diving at high speed.
- Peregrines have been used in falconry for over 3,000 years, even ancient Egyptian pharaohs trained them. In WWII, trained peregrines were used in the UK to intercept enemy carrier pigeons.
- Adults have a blue-gray back, barred underparts, and a dark head with that famous “moustache” mark. Chicks and juveniles are browner and have streaky, rather than barred, chests to help them blend into their surroundings.
Next, look at more peregrine falcon activities and resources.
PEREGRINE FALCONS ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES
- My Side of The Mountain is a great read aloud or independent reading book that talks about falconry.
- Don’t forget to grab my Peregrine Falcon Unit Study and Lapbook for an in depth look at these beautiful and fierce birds of prey.
- Print a world map and mark places peregrine falcons are found. Include- Urban nesting sites (like New York City skyscrapers), cliffs in the Grand Canyon, coastal regions in Alaska or the British Isles.
- Learn How to make paper mache PEREGRINE FALCON for a beautiful display.
- Another fun read is Falcon Vs Hawk Who Would Win?
- Get step by step directions for How to Draw a Peregrine Falcon.
- Watch this quick video Here’s Why Peregrine Falcons Are the Top Guns of the Sky.
For a STEM challenge- Build a paper glider that mimics a falcon’s wing shape. Test how wing design affects speed and dive angle.
PEREGRINE FALCON WATERCOLOR
As they paint their Peregrine falcon have your child focus on the following features:
- A harp beak with a special “tomial tooth” for killing prey.
- Long, pointed wings for fast flying.
- Large eyes that can spot prey from over a mile away.
- Dark “moustache” marks help reduce sun glare.
You will need:
- Watercolor paper
- Sharpened pencil
- Watercolors
- Small paintbrushes
- Permanent black marker
- Water
- Inspiration photo or figure
Begin by drawing out a loose outline of your peregrine inspiration. I grabbed this Peregrine Falcon Figurine I had because I loved the pose but there are many wonderful pictures online or in books you can choose to use as a model.
Once you are happy with it, erase the lines until you can just barely see them so that they don’t show through your watercolor.
Paint the inside of your outline with just plain water, once it is wet begin adding the lightest color and spreading it around the image inside the lines.
Allow to dry and then use a small brush to dab darker spots all over the falcons chest and wings.
Next, you can move on to the yellow parts like the beak and claws as they are not touching the still wet parts.
Now paint a light wash of blue all around your falcon to make it stand out. You can paint directly onto the dry paper or use a wet on wet technique by painting it first with plain water and then a light wash of color.
Use a black marker to add more details like eyes
And claws..
To extend this lesson you can also have your child label the different features of the Peregrine Falcon, here is a great Falcon (Peregrine) fact page with a simple labeled anatomy image.
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