Wildlife

UK Peregrine Falcon Diet and Welfare

The diet ecology of peregrine falcons in UK urban and rural habitats and welfare implications.

Key Facts

Peregrines are the fastest animals on Earth, reaching over 320km per hour in a stoop
UK peregrines prey predominantly on pigeons, starlings, and other medium-sized birds
Urban peregrines increasingly hunt at night using artificial light to illuminate prey
Lead poisoning from shot quarry species can affect peregrine welfare
UK peregrine population has recovered from fewer than 400 to over 1,500 pairs

Welfare Considerations

Individual peregrines face welfare risks from lead poisoning through contaminated prey, requiring transition to lead-free ammunition to eliminate this preventable harm.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for mandatory lead-free ammunition to protect raptors
Report any evidence of peregrine persecution to wildlife crime units
Record peregrine sightings to assist population distribution monitoring