Ask Jeff! For the peregrine, DDT interrupts the ability to produce calcium. The male and female have similar markings and plumage, but as in many birds of prey the Peregrine Falcon displays marked reverse sexual dimorphism in size, with the female measuring up to 30% larger than the male. In North America, one of the Peregrine Falcon's folk names is "duck hawk." Photograph provided by Eastman Kodak Company. Similar species: A wide variety of raptors are frequently mistaken for Peregrine Falcons. The difference is not that evident, especially not at first sight. Answer. When Peregrine Falcons are 1-3 years of age, they are able to start reproducing, or having young. The Peregrine prefers … When looking for a mate, male Peregrine Falcons, like many other birds, must work hard to impress the females. To keep her attention, males bring females food during the courting and nesting season. There is quite a big difference in size between the tiercel and falcon. Both sexes work to prepare the shallow nest scrape for eggs. (1996). Peregrine Falcons in the northeastern United States: sonagraphic analysis of the defense call, population turnover, and dispersal. Have a Question About Peregrine Falcons? Female peregrine falcons are approximately 30% larger than males, but they look very similar in color. Male and female cack vocalizations can be distinguished with about 90% accuracy (Telford, E. A. Peregrine Falcon Description. Peregrine Falcon Reproduction. Male & Female Difference Peregrine Falcon Bird Identification Q&A. Peregrine Falcons: In many species, the females are smaller than the males. This size difference is common in all birds of prey and is called sexual dimorphism. The Peregrine Falcon - a bird of prey - is the fastest animal on earth. Actually, there is pretty much no difference, but females are bigger. The Peregrine Falcon has a body length of 34 to 58 centimetres (13–23 in) and a wingspan from 74 to 120 centimetres (29–47 in). However, in many locations they don’t do so until they are 2 or 3 years of age. That’s why we will only talk about the differences between the male and the female … Tiercel in French means a third and therefore the male is a third smaller than the female. It is even more acute in the peregrine falcon than any other falcon. Furthermore, each Peregrine has a different plumage, which does not make our task easier! The plumage of the male and female are also different, but it is often in the details. They are very selective when it comes to choosing a mate. Master's Thesis, Boise State Univ., Boise, ID. ), it’s not uncommon for females to weigh 50% more than their mates. His head looks very small compared to his body. ... and various vocalizations by both the male and the female. What is the difference between male and female peregrine falcons? The male Peregrine is technically called a Tiercel. Peregrine falcon populations in the eastern United States declined sharply between the 1940s and 1960s due primarily to the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. ... our female was named Lizard by the person that banded her on a cliff nest within a Minnesota state park. ; females 3.5 lbs. Lizard was banded as a chick in 2006. The male and female have similar markings and plumage, but as in many birds of prey the peregrine falcon displays marked sexual dimorphism in size, with the female measuring up to 30% larger than the male (males average 2.5 lbs. I look out over the Dee estuary and as such am on the border of the feeding territory of two pairs, the one that nest in Birkenhead and a pair from the cliffs of North Wales.