Common Name: Peregrine Falcon
Scientific Name: Falco peregrinus
Nepali Name: Saahi Baaj ( शाही बाज )
Size: Male – 38-48 cm
Location: Gamgadi, Nepal
Peregrine Falcon is the most widespread bird of prey in the world and its found from 1500 to 3000 m during summer. Having a body length of 38 to 48 cm, the male and female are similar in marking and color except the female 30% larger than the male.
The upperparts are bluish-grey, white underpart with narrow black spotting and barring. The spotting and barring continue in the underwing and tail as well. With pointed wings and short tail, Peregrine Falcon are known for their speed which sometimes can reach upto 320km/h during the high-speed dive.
The diet includes medium-sized birds along with small mammals, small reptiles. The magnificent birds can be found nesting in mountainous areas and cliffs.
Please feel free to comment below if the above species has been misidentified.
Dev Budhathoki
I would ike to know more about peregrine falcon. Do they locally breed in the nepalese wild or they migrate? i am a captive breeding specialist hete in morocco. So would like to know more about this bird as well as others falcon species. Thanks
ansr50@gmail.com
Hello Dev, As far as I know, there isn’t any captive breeding program here in Nepal. The falcons are resident species.
In Morocco is the program led by the government or is the breeding program licensed by the government to the private sector?
Dev
It is licensed captive breeding project for atabs falconers. I know there’s no captive breeding in the nepal. I am just asking is this bird migrate only for natural breeding into nepal or they do resident too. As i am trying to make a captive breeding project in nepal. So i want more information about this birds. If someone is there who can provide more information regarding this bird that would be appreciated.
ansr50@gmail.com
I think the best agency to contact would be NTNC. https://ntnc.org.np/
National Trust for Nature Conservation | info@ntnc.org.np | +977-1-5526571, 5526573
Prabin Rajbhandary
A pair of falcon are nesting in the neighboring empty building . Last year they reared four offsprings .Even this year they are breeding. It is very pleasing experience to watch them. They make lot of noise while breeding. They mostly feed on the pigeons, rats. I think they are peregrine as per their size.
Dev
Hi, i was involved more than a decade for artificial breeding of saker, gyr and paregrine in different continent and country. I am planning to have a breeding project in nepal. Also I’ve meet the related government officials and having good responce. Can we connected by whatsaap? plz contact at 9860223234. i want to research for those birds. Hope to hear from you soon. Thanks
Roshan Joshi
I have pair of young falcon living next to my apartment (14th floor) in Kathmandu. They are in pair, were very small when they came to live next to my balcony in October. They make weird screeching sound. They have been shifting their habitat around the apartment but mostly at the maximum height. During this lockdown since I am around all the time I can always hear them passing by. Mostly they hunt pigeons, I see them with their new prey every 2-3 days.
ansr50@gmail.com
Roshan ji, this is really amazing. So wonderful to hear your experience with the falcons and this really got me excited. Have you identified which falcon it is? They do hunt for pigeons. Have you been able to take picture of it? This is a wonderful spotting.
Prabin Rajbhandary
I think Roshanji and I are talking about same pair. I even have their movie taken during their hunt.
Biji
To Roshan j, originally I am from ktm and I was pigeon fancier.recently we had small discussion about these different breed of falcons and other birds of prey.not to mention the number of pigeons I ve lost.if you can identify if these are our native birds or they migrate from somewhere.
Biji
To ansr, is it legal to breed these birds of prey in nepal.what are the laws.
ansr50@gmail.com
Biji ji, I haven’t heard about any legal captive breeding of bird of prey in Nepal except one which was of White-Rumped Vultures for the sole aim of conservation of the species (https://www.birdlifenepal.org/news/captive-released-white-rumped-vultures-now-travelling-far-and-wide). There is a new law that came in 2019 which allows selected birds to be raised for the commercial and breeding purpose (https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/new-rules-allow-commercial-farming-reproduction-of-wild-animals/).
As for my personal view, I don’t like the captive breeding of wild animals.