Peregrine Falcon in Profile on a Weathered Stump

A peregrine falcon perches on the splintered top of a pale, weathered post, its body turned to the left while its head looks off to the right. The crown and cheek are slate-black, set against a white throat and chest. The lower breast and belly are finely barred in dark grey. A yellow ring circles the dark eye, and the hooked beak is yellow at the base. The folded wings and tail form a long, dark diagonal that points to the lower right. The yellow feet grip the wood, and one talon seems to hold a small scrap. Behind the bird, a soft blue sky fades into a blurred, muted treeline.

Peregrine falcons are among the fastest animals on Earth. In a hunting stoop they dive on birds in flight at very high speed. They live on every continent except Antarctica, nesting on cliff ledges and, increasingly, on tall buildings and bridges. The species recovered across North America after the pesticide DDT was banned. This photograph was taken at Red Rocks Park in South Burlington, Vermont, in May 2018. The landscape frame leaves open sky on the right, so it suits widescreen desktop monitors, and the quiet blue background keeps icons readable.

More like this: Red Cardinal Perched on a Mesquite Branch.