Peregrine Falcon

Introduction

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is a medium-sized falcon found worldwide. It is well-known for its speed, as it is the fastest animal on the planet, and its very long migration across hemispheres. In the wild, they consume wild birds that they catch on the wing. Pigeons and starlings make up the majority of a wild falcon's diet, but they also eat songbirds, ducks, geese, bats, small mammals, and sometimes even other raptors like American Kestrels or Sharp-shinned Hawks. In captivity, they can eat a wide variety of other foods-- however, their diet is almost exclusively meat, and so they need high levels of protein.

Recommended Foods

Birds of prey in general can eat a wide variety of foods. Some have more specialized needs than others. However, peregrine falcons, being generalists, can eat almost anything. Common diets fed to (domesticated) falcons include the following ingredients: Sample Diet
 * Day-old chicks (DOCs)
 * Quails (6-8 weeks old)
 * Beef heart
 * Chicken/turkey necks & backs
 * Rabbits
 * Rats
 * Mice

Using nutritional recommendations from online sources, here is an example of a diet formulated for an average Peregrine Falcon, assuming it eats 70 grams of food a day. "Ingredients""Beef heart 45g""Quail 25g""Nutritional Content""Total dry matter: 21.29 g""Total crude protein: 15.56 g""Total fat: 4.54 g""Total calcium: .12 g""Total phosphorus: .05 g"