PEALE'S FALCON 69 



On the Queen Charlotte Islands the Peale Falcon is probably more abundant 

 than peregrines are anywhere else in the world. On North Island in the breeding 

 season one is never out of hearing of the birds. Sometimes three broods of 

 fledglings can be heard calling from one vantage point, and probably thirty-five 

 pairs nest on the twenty-five miles of coast-line of this small island alone. 



C. deB. Green (1916), referring to other islands in this group, writes: 



The birds nearly always choose [for a nesting site] the very top of the cliff under 

 the roots of a spruce-tree growing on the edge — in some cases quite easy of access, 

 sometimes requiring a rope and some help. * * * 



Peale's Falcon, lays, of course, four eggs, like its congener the Duck-Hawk; 

 the eggs are indistinguishable from those of the latter, being red to match the 

 hollow of rotten wood amongst the debris of trees growing at the top or on the 

 ledges of cliffs, at any elevation above the water-line from 20 to 500 feet. One 

 clutch was found upon a grassy slope dividing a lower cliff from an upper one, 

 but always amongst the roots of a spruce-tree, which gives shelter to the sitting 

 bird in rainy weather. Only one eyrie was found differently situated, and that 

 was on a ledge sheltered by an overhanging rock; the nest had no red rotten wood, 

 and, interesting to note, the eggs were the palest seen. 



When the complete clutch is taken, before incubation begins, the bird begins 

 her fresh set close by the first in about ten days, but if incubation has advanced 

 it will be more like three weeks before the new set is laid. 



Lucien M. Turner (1886) writes: 



This Falcon was frequently observed on Amchitka Island in the month of 

 June, 1881; and on several occasions on Attu Island, during 1880 and 1881. It 

 breeds on nearly all of the islands of the chain, and is a winter resident on the 

 Nearer Group, at least. On Agattu it is reported to be very common; and, on 

 Amchitka I knew of three nests on the ledges of the high bluffs, hanging over the 

 sea. Any approach to the cliffs was heralded by the bird darting from the nest 

 and circling high in the air, screaming fiercely all the while, and any attempt to 

 shoot the birds, while flying over the water, would have resulted in the loss of the 

 specimen, for they always flew in front of the cliffs out of gun-range. 



Eggs. — The eggs are indistinguishable from those of other pere- 

 grines. The measurements of 34 eggs average 53.3 by 41.1 milli- 

 meters; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 58 by 43, 48.5 

 by 41, and 52.9 by 39.1 millimeters. 



Plumages. — A nestling taken on Amnak Island, Alaska, on July 17, 

 is much like the young of anatum, but darker; the upper parts are 

 "fuscous" instead of "bone brown"; the under parts are more heavily 

 marked with "fuscous", with narrower buff edgings; the head is more 

 extensively "fuscous", less bufly, tawny, or ochraceous than in 

 anatum; and the tail is broadly tipped with "pinkish buff." Subse- 

 quent plumage changes are probably similar to those of other pere- 

 grines. 



Food. — Sea birds and ptarmigans seem to form the main food 

 supply of this falcon in the Aleutian Islands. Mr. Green (1916), 

 referring to the Queen Charlottes, writes: 



The isolated Falcons at lonely points on the coast were living chiefly upon 

 duck, chickens, and sandpipers, but the congregation of F. p. peali — thirteen 



