A silent plea from peregrine falcon, nature’s fastest flier
The landscape stretched like an infinite canvas as we gazed across the desolate expanse of Sambhar Lake on a hazy winter morning. Sambhar is India’s largest inland saltwater lake, nestled in the arid environs of Rajasthan and surrounded by the Aravalli hills, boasting a healthy population of both local and migrant avifauna. Leaving the waterbirds for the afternoon once the fog had lifted, we ventured into the lake’s drier reaches, drawn by the promise of raptors, who would be stirring up from their roost and getting ready to hunt.
It wasn’t long before our patience was rewarded. Two swift silhouettes streaked across our field of vision, darting with remarkable speed toward the horizon. Thrilled by the unfolding drama of a hunt yet striving to maintain restraint lest we frighten the birds, we slowly drove towards their landing. It turned out to be a peregrine falcon, the speed merchant of the avian kingdom, that had laid a pigeon to rest.
The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is known to be the fastest flying bird, capable of reaching speeds of over 300 km per hour, with the highest recorded speed of 389 km per hour. A medium-sized raptor, peregrine falcons are avivores, specialising in hunting other birds, especially pigeons, ducks and doves.
A sharp eyesight, believed to be eight times stronger than humans, helps them spot prey from a height, from where they execute high-speed dives, or hunting stoops, aided by an aerodynamic body profile, and powerful wings and muscles. Armed with powerful talons and beak, they catch and kill their prey in mid-air. As apex predators, they help control the populations of their prey, which includes a variety of bird species, ensuring that the populations do not exceed the carrying capacity of the ecosystem, thereby contributing to its overall health and stability.
Peregrine falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica, showcasing their incredible adaptability to various environments, from urban landscapes to the wilderness. In India, they are found as both residents as well as migrants from colder regions during winter, inhabiting diverse habitats such as high mountains, hills, stony semi-deserts, coastal regions and open wetlands near cliffs. The species faced a severe decline in the mid-20th century due to the widespread use of DDT, which caused the thinning of their eggshells. Conservation efforts, including banning of the pesticide in the 1970s, combined with captive breeding programmes, have successfully revived their numbers.
Historically, falconry, the art of training birds of prey to hunt, was practised by royalty and nobility, and the peregrine falcon, with its speed and agility, was particularly prized for its hunting skills. Despite an overall decline in this practice, falconry still remains vibrant in many countries. Many countries in Central Asia and the Middle East celebrate it as part of their cultural heritage, highlighting the enduring bond between humans and birds of prey.
Recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, modern falconry attempts to blend tradition with sustainable practices. Captive breeding ensures they are not caught from the wild. It is also made sure that the species they hunt are not endangered.
Peregrine falcons are revered symbolically across indigenous cultures worldwide, portrayed as symbols of endurance, agility and loyalty by the Bedouins, revered as symbols of resilience and freedom by native Americans, and venerated as messengers of the spirit world by the Inuits. In India, there are some references to them in Rajasthani and Gujarati folklore, and they were highly prized and celebrated by the Islamic dynasties of medieval India, who brought with them the art of falconry into the subcontinent.
Despite their successful recovery from the brink of extinction, peregrine falcons still face numerous threats. Urbanisation, deforestation and infrastructure projects have reduced their natural nesting sites, particularly cliffs and rocky outcrops. Persistent use of harmful pesticides and industrial pollutants also pose a significant risk, as these toxins accumulate in their prey. Shifts in weather patterns due to climate change affect prey availability and migration routes. Demand in the falconry trade leads to increased poaching and illegal trafficking.
In Sambhar, we also witnessed the negative fallouts of unsustainable tourism, as over-zealous visitors raised a dusty ruckus driving fast across the otherwise placid landscape, eager to flaunt their off-road vehicles, brazenly disturbing the bird’s natural habitat and behaviour.
We were fortunate to follow our bird for nearly four hours, as it devoured the last bits of its kill and then settled down on a rock for a quick nap. As it departed for another perch after giving us a generous sighting, its flight seemed to carry a silent plea: to tread lightly, to honour the wild, and to preserve the fragile harmony of nature.
— The writer is a climate expert and outdoor enthusiast
