Peregrine Falcon

Peregrin Falcon

Peregrin Falcon

You probably thought the cheetah is the fastest animal in the world. Well the Peregrine falcon can soar to the speed of 242 miles per hour! That’s faster than a race car!

These falcons are carnivores which means that they eat only meat. The Peregrine falcon preys on medium size birds, small reptiles, rodents, or even insects.

The body length of this falcon is about 13 to 23 inches long. Their wingspan is about 29 to 47 inches long. The female sometimes measures 30% longer than the male.

Peregrine falcons have have long pointed wing. The wing color of an adult is usually bluish black with a little bit of grey. The belly and the legs are golden with black spots, and the talons are yellow with black claws. The beek is some times tan or yellow or mixed with a black or grey tip.

You can find the Peregrine in large cities were tons of rodents go to feed on garbage or in coastal areas because of small birds.

Roadrunner

Roadrunner
© Albert – Fotolia.com

Did you know that roadrunners can run up to 17 miles per hour? It is the State Bird of New Mexico.

Roadrunners don’t fly very often. They fly close to the ground when they are going down hill or sense that a predator is near,  but they can only stay off the ground for a few seconds at a time.

Roadrunners mostly eat scorpions, lizards, insects, rodents, snakes, and other birds. They do eat plants in the winter when there aren’t a lot of animals around. One of the coolest roadrunner facts is that they hunt, kill, and eat rattlesnakes! They hunt by using their wings like a bullfighter uses his red cape. Then the roadrunner grabs the rattlesnakes tail and whips it around and around, hitting it on the ground until it’s dead.

To make a nest, roadrunners use sticks and twigs. Usually females want to have it in small trees and bushes where she lays 2-12 eggs.  The eggs hatch between 18-20 days. The roadrunners that hatch last are called runts, and sometimes the parents eat them.

Fairy Penguins

This post is for Thuy who is crazy about all penguins!

Did you know that Fairy Penguins have 2 names? One is Fairy Penguin, and the other is Little Blues. They are the smallest penguins in the world. They are only 16-17 inches tall, and weigh only two pounds. They are found in the Southern Hemisphere. A lot of people think all penguins live where it is cold and icy. So it might be a surprise to learn that Fairy Penguins like the warm waters of Southern Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania.

Fairy Penguins live in big cracks in rocks or burrows like ground squirrels. This is where they sleep, lay their eggs, and protect their babies until they are safe to go out.  Their groups or families are called “rafts.”  During the day, they hunt for small fish and squid to eat. When they’re in the water, they have to look out for sharks, sea lions, and seals.  At dusk they return to the safety of their burrows, but they still have to be careful not to get caught by seagulls.

Bald Eagle

Did you know that  bald eagles can have a 7 foot wingspan? They have such good eye sight that they can see a mouse from a mile away.  They build giant nests. In fact, they hold the record for building the biggest nest ever! One nest discovered in Florida was over 9 feet deep, more than 6 feet wide, and weighed almost 3 tons!  Bald Eagles live in  North America and even on Catalina Island, the same place I lived with my family when I was born.

Emperor Penguin

Did you know that emperor penguins lay eggs in the winter unlike other birds? While the mom penguins look for food, the dads take over the nest. After two months, when the eggs have hatched, the mom comes back.

Another fun fact about Penguins is that they can stay under water for 20-30 minutes.