Some photographers take reality... and impose the domination of their own thought and spirit. Others come before reality more tenderly and a photograph to them is an instrument of love and revelation. Ansel Adams
Still shots of Peregrine Falcon catching it's prey.
Uploaded on Sep 15, 2011 While I took video (see 'Peregrine falcons catch a pigeon' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y4pMG... ) on a Sanyo Xacti VPC-FH1, Dr Rob Davies took these photographs with his Canon EOS 1D Mark IV and 500mm F4 Lens.
Is a falcon a raptor? We've always believed so, but maybe not like a hawk or eagle. Maybe a falcon is in a class of its own? Maybe closer to a parrot than a hawk?
"Recent genetic studies found that falcons are much more closely related to songbirds than to other “hawks”—quite a jolt to our traditional belief. According to this research, falcons' closest relatives are a group (or "clade") consisting of the parrots and the passerines. As a result, the new Check-list sequence inserts Falconiformes (caracaras and falcons) and Psittaciformes (parrots) between Piciformes (woodpeckers) and Passeriformes (songbirds). These major revisions show us once again that as scientific knowledge improves, long-standing taxonomic sequences are not sacrosanct."
Quote: raptorz4ever wrote in post #16Is a falcon a raptor? We've always believed so, but maybe not like a hawk or eagle. Maybe a falcon is in a class of its own? Maybe closer to a parrot than a hawk?
"Recent genetic studies found that falcons are much more closely related to songbirds than to other “hawks”—quite a jolt to our traditional belief. According to this research, falcons' closest relatives are a group (or "clade") consisting of the parrots and the passerines. As a result, the new Check-list sequence inserts Falconiformes (caracaras and falcons) and Psittaciformes (parrots) between Piciformes (woodpeckers) and Passeriformes (songbirds). These major revisions show us once again that as scientific knowledge improves, long-standing taxonomic sequences are not sacrosanct."
I missed this post when you first made it R4. I was watching the SLC Utah peregrines and noted some unique characteristics. I will have to read more. Thank you!
"The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes...if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life." Frank Lloyd Wright
Falcon Rehabbing. Some people do not agree with falconry, but here is a good example. A friend of mine, John Hawley is reahabbing a peregrine. This is John's 3rd bird (RTH and Kestrel successfully released), and he hopes to release the bird soon. It has to be skilled enough to fly with "the Big Boys"
Here's an interesting article about Dr. Irene Pepperberg and her research into avian cognition. Although Dr. P works with gray parrots, and this is not raptor specific, her work still extends the realm of possibilities to any avian species. It's just downright fascinating!
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Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:29 am
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Amazing!! At those speeds it's got to be near impossible to catch a clear picture with a camera!! 
