walton ( 1799 – december 1825 ) was a british thoroughbred racehorse .

he raced until he was eight years old , winning sixteen of his twenty five races .

his first race was in 1802 , with his first big win , the third class of the oatlands stakes , coming in 1803 .

he went on to win eight king 's plates and recorded wins over several leading racehorses of the time .

he was owned by sir hedworth williamson throughout his racing career .

walton later became a successful stallion and was champion sire of great britain twice .

he sired the derby winner phantom , 2000 guineas winner nectar and st. leger winner st patrick .

walton ( horse )

chris mullin and mitch richmond play horse while bill walton breaks their game down .
aqha members share a passion for the american quarter horse and the vast lifestyle created by the world’s most popular horse .
welcome to the online home of jane walton horse racing . jane walton is a racehorse trainer based in otterburn near newcastle upon tyne and was granted a national hunt trainers license in march 2010 , and has already had winning success on the racecourse .
whether you’re a seasoned horse show veteran , a fan of the race track , a backyard horse enthusiast or simply someone dreaming of someday owning a horse , aqha membership will benefit you in countless ways .
the pictures show the horse look up and smile before baring a toothy grin .
various educational institutions and other funding agencies offer scholarships for members of the american quarter horse association and or american quarter horse youth association . view the list of known
she was beaten by mr . mellish ' s horse eagle ( full brother to
, eleanor lost a 100 - guinea gold cup race to mr . dawson ' s horse
pensacola . a spanish horse , he sired americus ( b . c . 1792 ) .
nz grand prix horse saraceni is moving . . . - dressage clinics new zealand | facebook
but david has since been told by the horse’s owner , nicola mitchell , that he did not have her consent to photograph the horse – and she is contacting thomson holidays to complain .
walton ( gb ) b c 1799 ( sir peter teazle - arethusa , by dungannon ) . sire line highflyer . family 7 .
on 2 april at the newmarket craven meeting , eleanor finished third in the craven stakes to the mare aniseed and the colt walton .
walton ( gb ) b c 1799 ( sir peter teazle - arethusa , by dungannon ) . sire line highflyer . family 7 .
“there should be some token gesture as it is our horse that has really won them the holiday .
“i couldn’t believe it when i realised the horse had decided to pose up for the photos too .
crystal bridges , alice walton’s new art museum in bentonville , arkansas , already has an endowment four times larger than that of the whitney museum .
at the newmarket - craven meeting , eleanor received 200 guineas from mr . sitwell after his horse fieldfare forfeited a three - mile match race . at the same meeting eleanor ran third to sir hedworth williamson ' s horse
felt horse ( 1836 ) family 13 . foaled in england , he was imported into new york in 1838 .
2nd yearling potential sports horse church farm 2005 , 4th hunter 2 year old filly royal show , 3rd newark and notts 3 year old potential sports horse , 1st 3year old sports horse filly 2007 shb north west sport horse , 3rd small in - hand hunter and 2nd 3 year old sport horse filly - n . h . s . c . s . v . i . p . ii 2nd 2year old hunter garstang and district show 2005 . ruby iiilementary level dressage horse ( 51 points ) . alec mediu em level dressage horse ( 87 points ) . ruby tuesday viii 1st and reserve champion ridden novice mare class north west shb gb spring show . berserker large riding horse and showjumper . paddocklow revolver 1st hunter pony foal - cheshire county show , 1st shp foal – royal lancashire horse show , 1st & champion – hunter pony – british national foal show . 2nd shp yearling - royal highland 2nd bef premium baileys futurity . northern chapter 1st derbyshire festival of showing 1st and reserve champion cartmel show . winterhill whizz kid 1st bef premium 2 year old . winterhill woodpecker 1st bef premium dressage foal . lyme park lassorelli amateur home produced horse filly foal exceeding 158cm 1st & reserve champion . 2nd sports / competition horse ex . 158cm not ex . 164cm 2010 british national foal show .
one nominated lead syndicate member needed for registration of colours and to inform others of details of horse . ideal for groups up to 6 people so that every syndicate owner enjoys the full benefits of complementary owners tickets every time your horse runs .
walton ( gb ) br . h , 1799 { 7 } dp = 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 ( 0 ) di = inf cd = inf
the american quarter horse association , located in amarillo , texas , is the world’s largest equine breed registry and membership organization .
of sir peter teazle ' s sons who carried forward the highflyer sire line - - haphazard , sir paul and walton - - walton had the most influence on the thoroughbred , both through his successful sire sons , and through his daughters . like his sire and grandsire , walton could go a distance , but he did not quite measure up to their class , nor to that of haphazard , who many considered one of the best four - mile horses of his era . in the stud , however , walton was highly successful , and had several good sire sons , one of whom , partisan , established a strong , long - lasting 19th century line which produced many classic winners in europe and america , and not a few top steeplechasers , on several continents . today , walton and the sons of his once - strong sire line are seen only in female descent .
north britton ( b . c . 1787 ) by alcock ' s horse ( c . by robert thomas ' s horse ) - northumberland - yorkshire jenny ' s dam by old traveller - young nanny by hartley ' s blind horse - northern nanny by highland laddie - byerley turk . family 41 . imported into virginia in 1792 by james baird of greencroft , near petersburgh .
babraham . this horse was called slip in the general stud book , and slim and sprightly in america . see * slim .
sam walton began his retail career in the nineteen - forties , when he became a management trainee at a j . c . penney in iowa . he moved to newport , arkansas , and opened the ben franklin store . in 1950 , determined to build his own business , he opened walton’s five - and - dime , in bentonville , which now houses the walmart visitor center . artifacts on display include helen walton’s wedding dress and sam walton’s 1979 ford f - 150 pickup truck . the family lived in a house designed by fay jones , a disciple of frank lloyd wright ; one wing of the low - slung structure formed a bridge over a stream . the house , which is still used for family functions , is adjacent to the crystal bridges site . at the time , the town had a population of twenty - nine hundred . “i grew up riding my horse here , ” alice walton told me as we walked the trail . “we all hiked and followed the creek bed . it was a beautiful , rural , american childhood . ”
“home is northumberland , which is where my step - dad and step - mum both train racehorses . my mam , claire , is married to jimmy walton , who is a licence holder .
progeny includes : prix st george dressage horses fiddlesticks national medium winter champion 2006 , placed at the regional ' s at every level in which he competed from novice through to psg also placed at the nationals at every level at which he has competed . 2009 prix st . georges winner northern regional championships . robilac irrestable who was sports horse award winner national dressage champs 2004 / 2005 . show hunter pony pendle first light ist and champion novice shp bsps winter championships 2009 1st and champion the royal show 2009 1st royal international horse show 2009 supreme champion shp bsps summer championshipss cuddy in hand final nps summer championships . 2nd cuddy in hand final hoys . ace is high county level show horse 1st yearling sport horse ( church farm ) , 4th cheshire county yearling sports horse , 2nd royal lancs , 2nd 2 year 2009 1st and reserve champion shp of the year horse of the year show 2009 celtic knave first sports horse foal shgb north west 2009 . roulex 4 yr old ridden sportshorse winner sports hose north west . elite de roulette graded head stud book shgb mare grading . 1st hack broodmare three counties . 1st & champion hack broodmare qualified hoyold shgb north west potential sport horse . la perla county level show horse , results include :
david thought he ' d just get a photo of himself and his son enjoying a walk together , with the horse in the background .
in september at doncaster orville won the two mile free handicap sweepstakes and a four mile match race against mr mellish ' s horse stockton .
st patrick was a chestnut horse with a white star and snip , bred by his owner sir edward smith - dodsworth . he was sired by walton , a stallion based at boroughbridge in yorkshire . walton won several king ' s plates in his racing career and was successful as a sire of winners . apart from st patrick , he sired the classic winners phantom and nectar ( 2000 guineas ) . [ 1 ] st patrick was the third of fourteen foals produced by his dam , an unnamed mare sired by dick andrews . [ 2 ]
the turtle tilt weymouth has a larger weight - bearing surface , so there is less pressure on the horse’s tongue , and there is greater separation between it and the bradoon , so it is easier to differentiate between the bits , and less chance of the horse’s tongue being caught between them .
they would have to come on the holiday with me – and that isn’t happening unless we’re both in a saddle together on the horse . ”
eugene was an imported hunter sire , probably the same horse as * britannic , advertised as a hunter and imported by mr . bishop circa 1790 .
magentic needle ( 1787 ) family 3 - a . imported in december of 1793 , this horse stood near trenton , new jersey , in 1794 .
walton was bred by sir hedworth williamson , who had a number of business interests in county durham , where one of his estates , whitburn hall was located , near monkwearmouth . he also owned oxcroft farm , near newmarket , in cambridgeshire . walton ' s sire , the earl of derby ' s sir peter teazle , was a celebrated racehorse during his years on the turf at newmarket and was nine times leading sire in great britain , having got four epsom derby winners - - including ( williamson ' s ) ditto , own brother to walton - - four st . leger winners , and two oaks winners , among other top runners .
morris , tony ; randall , john ( 1990 ) . horse racing : records , facts , champions ( third edition ) . guinness publishing . isbn .
( c . 1753 ) by babraham ( b . c . 1738 by godolphin arabian ) . the horse isn ' t identified in any other way .
“jacob loves the horses and wanted to show mummy a picture of us enjoying the day so we posed up with a horse quietly eating grass in the background .
one of the phone bidders that day was a collector whose activities had thus far gone largely unnoticed by the art world : alice walton , the daughter of sam walton , the founder of walmart , who died in 1992 . the youngest of walton’s four children , alice , who was born in 1949 and grew up in bentonville , arkansas , was a member of the richest family in america . the waltons were worth some ninety billion dollars at the time—as much as the fortunes of bill gates and warren buffett combined . alice had started buying art in the seventies , mostly watercolors by american artists , but by the late nineties she had become a more serious collector ; she hung the works on the walls of her ranch outside of fort worth , where she raised , bred , and rode cutting horses , which are trained to work with cattle . in fact , as the auction got under way in new york , walton was at the will rogers coliseum , in fort worth , preparing to compete in the first qualifying round of the national cutting horse association futurity .
the paintings that walton bought at sotheby’s in 2004 will be among those on the walls at crystal bridges , which will present a survey of american art from the colonial period to the present . connoisseurs who know some of what walton has acquired say that it will be one of the best collections of american art in a museum . “it will transform our field , ” eric widing , who heads the american art department at christie’s , says . walton has been a valued customer there , too : the day after the fraad sale , she paid more than seven hundred thousand dollars for a sargent drawing of his teacher carolus - duran . widing told me , “once , when i was in the saleroom , on the phone with alice bidding , i heard something in the background and i said , ‘are you on a horse ? , ’ and she said , ‘yes . ’ i said , ‘that’s the first time i’ve sold a painting to someone on a horse , ’ and she said , ‘no , it isn’t . ’ ”
spanker ( c . * 1740 ) . a barb horse imported into virginia from andalusia , spain , in 1740 by mr . nelson , he was also referred to as nelson ' s imported spanish horse . he was described as a most beautiful horse although his color was not specified . his daughters were noted for breeding speedy colts and fillies , especially when crossed with bred horses like * janus . he stood in virginia at nelson ' s stud until 1750 , then went to north carolina .
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harry hall scooped the horse care equipment and clothing category , with its protechmasta infra - red rug , and the safety and security award for a high - vis turnout rug .
jacob asked to take a photo to show mum rhian the fun they were having , when father and son were surprised to find a nearby horse had decided to get involved .
eclipse ( gb ) ( 1747 ) family 4 - b . there is no record that this horse was brought to america , nor does any pedigree contain such a cross .
gladiator ' s sire was partisan , who was by walton , and from parasol , a well - bred mare and top race horse from the influential grafton stud . walton was a good stayer and led the sire ' s list in england twice . partisan was a fast horse on the turf , and a good sire who got a leading sire son in venison ( 1833 ) , and four classic winners - - mameluke ( 1824 , derby ) , patron ( 1826 , 2 , 000 guineas ) , cyprian ( 1833 , oaks ) and zeal ( 1818 , 1 , 000 guineas ) . in addition to venison , who sired three classic winners , partisan ' s son glaucus ( 1830 ) sired two classic winning fillies . another son , godolphin ( 1818 ) also got a classic filly in young mouse ( 1826 , 1 , 000 guineas ) .
by the end of the day , walton had spent more than twenty million dollars on art . she had also prevailed at the will rogers coliseum , placing sixty - second out of three hundred and seventy - four entrants , which allowed her to advance to the next round . indeed , she made it all the way to the finals , which took place on december 10th . walton came in nineteenth out of twenty riders—not a spectacular result but one that came with a prize of nearly thirteen thousand dollars .
of course , it’s hard to withhold respect from such a powerful institution : the walton family foundation recently gave eight hundred million dollars to crystal bridges , whose endowment is now four times larger than that of the whitney museum . graham beal , the director of the detroit institute of arts , which has struggled financially as the city has declined , says of walton , “normally , one would say she doesn’t have a chance of establishing a new museum of this scale , but with the resources she has—it’s enormous . ”
but after the resulting photo won him a £2 , 000 holiday , he ' s been branded
shameful and stupid
online – because he didn’t have the horse owner’s consent .
“i don’t understand why nicola is so annoyed about it . i was on a public path that everyone uses to go to the local school and everyone sees the horse there .
prince ferdinand ( gb ) ( 1775 ) family 24 . prince ferdinand remained in england at stud until at least 1792 , aged 17 . the horse referred to in the american stud book is probably ferdinand ( b . c . 1760 ) by a spanish horse out of an english mare described as one of the ablest hunters . he was touted as producing large coach and hunting horses .
. in a racing career which lasted from august 1801 until october 1807 the horse ran thirty - four times and won twenty races . in his early career he was based in yorkshire and won the
matchless ( 1754 ) family 13 . bred by mr . panton , he was described as a horse of great size , beauty , and strength . he was imported into south carolina in 1773 .
david , 31 , said his son , jacob , had taken the photo of the duo enjoying a walk together when a horse in the background looked up and ‘smiled’ , even sticking out his tongue .
mum - of - three nicola , also from prestatyn , bought the horse , betty , for her daughter , katelyne , three years ago and betty has since been taught to stick out her tongue .
walton did not often go to museums . the nearest one , the gilcrease museum , a collection of western american art , is in tulsa , oklahoma , two hours away . but she and her mother painted watercolors on camping trips ; it is no accident , she says , that she started her collection with works in that medium . john wilmerding told me , “i was quite startled when i first made a visit to her home in texas . in the bedroom there were watercolors by childe hassam and sargent and homer , and alice walton , and they were not embarrassing . ”
meeting shahrastani at long last , in 1999 in ireland , was a special moment when that unmistakable white face swung my way over the stable door . visiting him in later years at walton fields stud in leicestershire was a pleasure , with his stallion’s air of majesty ever present despite advancing age .
less cost of the initial fee of buying a racehorse , only the cost of keeping horse in training for full season . great way to get a taste of racehorse ownership without outlaying large sums on purchasing .
mr . s . arthur sold cardinal beaufort after the 1806 racing season to mr . arthur shakespear . in april at newmarket , cardinal beaufort received an unspecified amount forfeiture from lord darlington ' s horse zodiac .
all the latest horse racing form , betting odds , news , breeding , jockey and trainer information for war profile . war profile is a gelding born in 2008 september 13 by war chant out of killer app
there is only one shahrastani that matters and that ' s the one that won the english and irish derbys for the aga khan ! he was a lovely horse , very correct although when i met him he had the dipped back of an old man , he was 20 though . we bought a mare in foal to him , she had a lovely colt that we sold to andrew nicholson as a yearling . shahrastani stood at walton fields stud in grimston for several years which is where i met him .
express ( gb ) ( 1785 ) family 4 . express , whose pedigree is recited in the american stud book was not exported . the horse referred to as * express was probably the american - bred express .
john bull ( gb ) ( 1789 ) family 13 . bred by lord grosvenor , he won the derby . he sired * admiral nelson ( br . c . 1795 ) and ardrossan ( b . c . 1809 ) . there is no evidence that this horse came to america , since he was in the stud in england until 1812 , when he was 23 . a horse noted in john tayloe ' s stud book as * john bull ( ro . c . 1796 ) imported in 1799 , of the
flanders breed ,
was bred by mr . lowe . randolph of roanoke describes the horse as
coach - bred .
nicola , a secretary , said : “i was really annoyed to hear he had won a £2 , 000 holiday and had used a picture of our horse without our permission . he should have asked for our consent .
“jacob was particularly happy as he sees the picture as his . i never thought of asking anyone for consent for the horse – it was clearly viewable from the road , so why would i ?
he added .
, eleanor finished last in a field of four horses to lord darlington ' s horse muly - moloch . at the first october meeting in newmarket , eleanor regained her three - year - old form and defeated the mare
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having died sometime between august 1808 and the beginning of the 1809 season in april . at newmarket on 17 april , general gower paid a forfeiture to lord sackville ' s horse bustard due to cardinal beaufort ' s death .
' s sir harry dimsdale , a grey horse who had finished unplaced in the craven stakes . running over newmarket ' s four mile beacon course , ditto started favourite but suffered his first defeat as he failed to concede seven
touchstone ( b . c . 1792 ) by clothier ( b . c . 1771 by matchem ) - dam unidentified . he is described as a hunting stud horse , probably a cocktail . imported into pennsylvania in 1797 .
magnum bonum was a cocktail , being one of two at the time . the one cited in the american stud book is rhinelander ' s , imported circa 1796 and described
as good a horse for stock as was ever imported
according to an advertisement , as noted by harrison . the other , freeman kilborne ' s , is described as being of the english dray breed . the horse stood in vermont and new hampshire from 1809 to 1816 .
eligibility of applicants is based on the individual criteria and requirements provided for each scholarship offered . recipients are selected based on academic achievement , financial need and quarter horse involvement , as well as an applicant’s outstanding leadership and communication skills .
hercules ( b . c . 1857 ) by kingston ( b . c . 1849 by venison ) - daughter of tosca by bay middleton - malvina by oscar - spotless by walton - trumpator mare by trumpator . family 4 - p . bred by mr . j . b . shepherd and sent to california in 1863 .
jane walton successfully obtained a licence to train racehorses in march 2010 . jane has a life times experience working with racehorses and in her earlier years she was a professional jockey . we are a small , friendly up and coming yard that aims to train racehorses in a happy yet professional environment . we also want to make sure that owners get to enjoy their experience of owning a racehorse as much as possible . owners are encouraged to be as involved as they want during training , and we work very hard to achieve the best results possible for every horse .
bucephalus ( 1758 ) family 4 . he was imported into virginia before the revolution and stood at archibald ritchie ' s on the rappahannock . he is described as a very strong , sure - footed horse standing 15 . 2 hands .
roulette was carefully selected by clive as a 2 year old in germany for his outstanding temperament , conformation and elastic movement . this impressive pink papered stallion is a very striking horse with incredible presence , he has a fabulous temperament , is very compact with elastic paces and superb conformation . he proved himself throughout his career , as a 4 year old he qualified for the international dressage horse of the future at the national championships and was placed 3rd in top class company .
walton has bought in depth in some areas—the collection contains works by stuart davis from all periods of his career , several great works by george bellows , and several masterpieces by marsden hartley . “marsden hartley is one of my favorite artists—he was a very complex guy , somewhat tormented , but a very spiritual person , and i love the emotion and the feel and the spirituality of his work , ” walton told me . “and andrew wyeth—the mystery , the loneliness that is expressed . how do you paint loneliness ? i don’t know , but they do express it . ” walton , who was married briefly in her twenties , has no children , and she has encouraged several of her nephews and nieces to develop an interest in art . “last year , she went to basel with some of her family members , ” joan washburn told me . “the netjets people—the big collectors—go to all the obvious dealers . but she was walking around , seeing everything , taking it all in , having a wonderful time . ”
catherine walton rode her 100th point - to - point winner and scored a hat - trick at alnwick last month , earning her the accolade of howdens point - to - point owners and riders association ( ppora ) jockey of the month for january . she talks to h & h ; about racing camels , managing her weight and race tactics
“it’s more about looking at the horses around me , trying to find something that’s half fit to follow . your position at the start is a lot to do with it , and where you want to be depends on the horse you’re on .
blaze ( 1786 ) family 4 . he was imported into virginia in 1793 by general hugh nelson , then brought to kentucky in 1797 by benjamin wharton . he is said to be the first authentic english - bred horse to arrive in kentucky .
nonpareil ( c . ) imported into south carolina in 1762 . he was quite a famous horse . he stood , in the year of his importation , at mr . daniel huger ' s in st . john ' s parish at £20 .
by the early aughts , walton had begun to contemplate building an ambitious art collection and a museum . “collecting has been such a joy , and such an important part of my life in terms of seeing art , and loving it , ” she told me . “and i was absolutely fascinated by the view of american history that art gave me . it was much more real to me , and much more closely tied to the political and social context of the country , and the changes , when i saw it through the eyes of the artists . ” about ten years ago , she brought the idea of a museum to her siblings and the walton family foundation . “they said , ‘what ? ’ ” she told me . jim walton , the second - oldest brother , who has been very involved with investment in bentonville , says , “our initial reaction was to ask a lot of questions and do a little head scratching . as with most visionary ideas , we wanted not only to understand the concept but to look at the practical considerations . ”
walton has a similarly educative spirit . for some years , she has given money so that children from the county in texas where she lives can visit the amon carter museum , in fort worth . the thank - you letters she has received from the children , walton said , have reinforced her commitment to the creation of crystal bridges : “they say , ‘we didn’t know we could go to a museum , ’ ‘we thought that was for rich people , ’ ‘we didn’t know they would let us in . ’ ” in its mission , crystal bridges has something in common with the great institutions of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries , which sought to infuse a populace with high - cultural literacy .
cormorant ( 1787 ) family 1 - a . bred by mr . fox and imported into virginia by colonel john hoomes . stood at bowling green in 1799 . described as a handsome horse , he sired the cormorant mare ( f . 1800 ) .
slim or sprightly or slip or babraham ( 1768 ) family 5 . bred by mr . wildman . this horse was called slip in the general stud book , and slim and sprightly in america . his most notable son was hall ' s union .
so it was from the saddle of a three - year - old gelding named ic lad that walton successfully bid for several lots from the fraad collection : “spring , ” a gorgeous watercolor of a rural scene , by winslow homer ; “a french music hall , ” by everett shinn , the ashcan school artist ; and “the studio , ” by george bellows , which depicts the artist at work with his children playing at his feet . collectively , these works cost walton more than twelve million dollars . she competed with ic lad before lunchtime—they were in the third round , fourth horse—then returned to making bids during the afternoon session at sotheby’s . from the collection of pierre bergé , the co - founder of yves saint laurent , she bought several notable works , including “the indian and the lily”—an exquisite rendering of a muscular native american , by george de forest brush—and “october interior , ” a sunny , celadon - hued painting of a domestic scene , by fairfield porter .
walton began seeking advice about architects . she recalled , “i had lunch with the very nice president of huntington gardens”—the art museum established by henry huntington , the railway and real - estate magnate , outside los angeles—“and he said , ‘you must go and see the skirball cultural center . ’ ” at the skirball , which is in the santa monica mountains , the natural setting
monarch or republican ( c . ) by wentworth ' s ancaster ( b . c . 1768 by blank ) - old royal - changeling - bethell ' s arabian . the old royal mare isn ' t identified as yet , as there are probably one or more dropped crosses between her and bethell ' s arabian mare . it is quite possible the horse was a hunter . the american stud book erroneously gives republican as a separate horse . * monarch was imported in 1793 , and stood at norfolk virginia in 1795 .
merry pintle ( ire ) ( gr . c . 1752 ) by old england ( b . c . 1741 by godolphin arabian ) - old merry pintle - skip jack - hackwood . merry pintle was an irish horse for which there is no evidence of exportation .
prince ( gb ) ( 1773 ) family 9 - d . bred by lord farnham , this colt never came to north america . the horse referred to in the american stud book is probably huger ' s prince , foaled in south carolina , by * spotless .
at the time , walton was tied with her mother , helen , for the title of richest woman in the world . each had a fortune of eighteen billion dollars . ( helen died in 2007 . ) critics characterized alice as an exorbitantly wealthy heiress whose aim was to snap up icons and display them as kitschy americana : wal - art . and the waltons’ retail empire—which sold ever - cheaper goods to americans by outsourcing jobs to labor markets overseas , by forcing the closure of small stores in downtowns across the country , thanks to its vast hypermarkets—was denounced as antithetical to the values underlying the art that walton was acquiring . “durand’s painting is a touchstone for a set of american ideals that walmart has been savaging , ” rebecca solnit wrote , in the nation . “crystal bridges museum seems like a false front for walmart , a made - in - america handicrafted artifact of idealism for a corporation that is none of the above . ” just as bad , some of walton’s critics said , the art works were being spirited off to bentonville , a town of twenty - eight thousand people whose main cultural attraction was the walmart visitor center .
morwick ball ( gb ) ( ch . c . 1762 ) by regulus ( b . c . 1739 by godolphin arabian ) - traveller - hartley ' s blind horse - grasshopper mare . family 41 . bred by mr . vevers . this colt was not exported .
an art historian at hunter college who has advised walton , recalls , “there was an edward hopper painting that came up , and i felt it was a good hopper , and they are rare . they wanted something like twenty - seven million , and we said it was too much money , and so the dealer sold it the next day to someone for twenty - eight million . ”
master robert ( 1793 ) family 8 - b . bred by colonel hamilton . the horse is listed by name under his dam in the general stud book without note that he was sent to america . he produced at least one broodmare in england ( foaled in 1814 ) .
“there is a lot that horses and art share in common , ” walton told me one morning not long ago , when i visited her in bentonville , which is in the ozarks , near the missouri border , and is where walmart has its headquarters . “i have found that most horse people are art lovers , and vice versa , ” she went on . “i think it is more of an intuitive , circular kind of personality , for starters . and , as i say of horses , the secret to breeding great horses is the three ‘b’s : bones , brains , and balance . if you look at art , it shares some of the same qualities . ”
walton ramped up her civic efforts , becoming the first president of the northwest arkansas council , a nonprofit development group that included business leaders such as john tyson , the poultry magnate . ( tyson is on the board of crystal bridges . ) in 1991 , largely owing to walton’s efforts , congress approved funding for the construction of a four - lane highway connecting bentonville with oklahoma city , to the west , and with little rock , to the east . ( on a map the highway looks like a loose thread . ) she also spearheaded the construction of the northwest arkansas regional airport , which opened in 1998 . direct service from new york city is on a small american eagle jet , which has the familiarity of a commuter - train car , with frequent fliers comparing their urban diversions .
, winning 350 guineas . she also won the king ' s plate from sister to gouty a few days later . at the second october meeting at newmarket , her last engagement of the season , eleanor won £50 in a stakes race by beating the prince of wales ' horse shock .
' s colt czar peter . at the second october meeting , she was second to bustard in a gold cup race . at the houghton meeting , she was again second in a gold cup race to the horse stretch . in the last three starts of her career , eleanor did not place .
orville failed to win in three starts in 1803 . at york in may he finished second to lennox in a two mile sweepstakes . at the same course in august he finished second to duxbury in a four mile race and second again when beaten by mr mellish ' s horse stockton four days later .
bay richmond ( gb ) ( 1769 ) family 17 . bred by sir l . dundas , this horse was first sent to jamaica , where he ran in the name of sarpedon . there is no evidence that he came to america , or that if he did , that he left any offspring .
over time , walton has earned the respect of the museum establishment , although only those closest to her know the full extent of crystal bridges’ collection : just sixty - six purchases have been announced , a tenth of what has been acquired . philippe de montebello , the former director of the metropolitan museum , told me , “i suspect it is going to be a substantial and fine collection of american art . ” ( the met and the national gallery made a combined offer for “kindred spirits , ” but walton bested them . ) the director of crystal bridges , don bacigalupi , is highly regarded for the work he did as the director of the toledo museum of art , in ohio , where he oversaw the successful construction of a new building ; and his effort to exchange works with the louvre , among other institutions , has allayed fears that crystal bridges’ collection will be simplemindedly nationalistic .
we walked through the grounds of her museum , through clusters of native trees . near a stone footbridge , water tumbled over a series of rocky ledges upon which children will be permitted to clamber . they will also be encouraged to play on a work called “shore lunch , ” a sculpture of a bear by dan ostermiller , which stands nearby . “we hope children crawl all over him and get paw prints on him , ” walton said .
north star ( br . c . 1795 ) by north star ( b . c . 1768 by matchem ) - florizel mare ( not identified ) . the horse ' s breeding and size were noted as
calculated to improve the breed of fine carriage and draft horses .
he was probably a cocktail .
( bl . c . 1859 ) by king of trumps ( ch . c . 1849 by velocipede ) - announcement by annandale - executrix by liverpool - handmaiden by walton - anticipation by beningbrough - expectation by herod - skim - janus - spinster by crab - spinster by partner - bay bloody buttocks by bloody buttocks . family 4 - b . bred by t . dawson and exported to china in 1869 , and from there imported into california .
when roulette graded with the sports horse of great britain in november 2001 the judges described him as an ideal choice as a dual - purpose stallion able to breed top class showjumpers as well as dressage horses . his pedigree is equally impressive for showjumping as it is for dressage . his grading marks included 9 out of 10 flatwork under saddle , 7 for walk , 9 for trot , 9 for canter and 8 . 5 for jumping , the judges were impressed with his classic exuberant technique over a large fence . his career could have taken either route as a potential international showjumper or indeed the path chosen as an international dressage horse .
orville failed to win in three starts in 1803 . at york in may he finished second to lennox in a two mile sweepstakes . at the same course in august he finished second to duxbury in a four mile race and second again when beaten by mr mellish ' s horse stockton four days later . [ 9 ]
orville began his five - year - old season by winning a two mile sweepstakes at york on 29 may . he returned to york in august when he finished last of the five runners behind haphazard in a four mile subscription race and second to r garfoth ' s horse by traveller in a similar event two days later . [ 10 ] in september at doncaster orville won the two mile free handicap sweepstakes and a four mile match race against mr mellish ' s horse stockton . [ 11 ] in october , orville was sent south to run at newmarket where he finished second to eleanor in a race over the four mile beacon course .
bashaw ( usa ) ( 1768 ) family 4 - r . bred by james de lancey of new york he raced in 1772 winning the macaroni hundred at newmarket while lame . he stood 15 . 2 hands . this horse was not imported . he sired the dam of rosette ( f . 17 - - ) .
orville began his five - year - old season by winning a two mile sweepstakes at york on 29 may . he returned to york in august when he finished last of the five runners behind haphazard in a four mile subscription race and second to r garfoth ' s horse by traveller in a similar event two days later .
art - world visitors to bentonville have been impressed by the museum’s attempts to draw in the regional community . amy cappellazzo , the chairman for contemporary art at christie’s , recently gave a talk at a bentonville school that walton and her brothers had attended . “it was a full house on a sunday—and sunday in bentonville is all about church , ” cappellazzo told me . “people asked very intelligent questions , and there was this incredible setup of lemonade and homemade cookies . ”
charles the twelfth was a
very fine and racing - like
dark brown horse standing sixteen hands high [ 1 ] bred by major nicholas yarburgh of heslington hallin north yorkshire . [ 2 ] yarburgh sent the colt into training with john scott who trained forty classic winners at his base at whitewall stables , malton , north yorkshire .
ideal candidate must be a resident of kentucky who has been a member of the kentucky quarter horse youth association and american quarter horse youth association for at least two years , one year of which must be the applicant ' s last eligible year of youth . candidates must apply as a college sophomore in anticipation of continuing their junior and senior years as an undergraduate enrolled at an accredited college or university of their choice . successful candidates must demonstrate a documented history of participation while promoting and fostering kyqhya and its programs in a meaningful way . recipient must maintain a minimum cumulative 3 . 0 grade point average . current or previous aqhf scholarship recipients are not eligible to receive this scholarship .
orville ( 1799–1826 ) was a british thoroughbred racehorse and sire . in a racing career which lasted from august 1801 until october 1807 the horse ran thirty - four times and won twenty races . in his early career he was based in yorkshire and won the classic st leger stakes at doncaster racecourse as a three - year - old in 1802 .
walton called moshe safdie , the skirball’s architect , and invited him to visit her in arkansas . “it was a fairy tale , ” safdie told me . “we had dinner the evening i arrived , at her cabin in the woods , and the next day we went out to look at numerous sites in bentonville . i told her what i thought , and at the end of the day , as i was about to leave , i said , ‘i guess you are beginning your architectural selection process , ’ and she smiled and said , ‘i am ending my architectural selection process . ’ ” safdie and walton travelled to europe , looking at other museums for inspiration . they were both struck by the louisiana museum of modern art , near copenhagen , which was built in the fifties by the danish architects vilhelm wohlert and jørgen bo . “it is set on a very pastoral site on the seashore , with a series of pavilions which interconnect , and you really feel you are experiencing art and nature together , ” safdie says .
dotterell ( gr . c . 1756 ) by changeling ( b . c . circa 1747 by cade ) - son of wynn ' s arabian - son of lonsdale arabian - lonsdale black arabian - curwen ' s bay barb - burton barb mare . family 2 . bred by sir john pennington . this horse stood in westmoreland county , virginia , in 1766 .
fellow ( ch . c . 1757 ) by cade ( b . c . 1734 by godolphin arabian ) - duke of bolton ' s goliah - crofts ' partner - wilkinson ' s turk - cupid . family 71 . said to have been sent to pennsylvania . the horse is listed in the general stud book but there is no note of his export .
of art that walton has brought to arkansas is “excavation at night , ” by george bellows , a dark , gritty canvas depicting the early stages of the construction of penn station , when it was nothing more than a hole in the ground . bellows painted it in 1908 , when new york was first asserting itself as a cultural and economic capital , just six years after richard morris hunt’s imposing beaux - arts façade of the metropolitan museum was completed , giving the city a museum as grand as it thought it deserved .
after graduating from trinity college in san antonio , in 1971 , walton entered the family business , but she did only a brief stint , as a buyer of children’s clothes . “they are still trying to get rid of the children’s dresses i bought , and that was a while back , ” she said . “i had fun , but it wasn’t my interest . ” sam walton , in his 1992 autobiography , “made in america , ” said of alice , “she’s the most like me—a maverick—but even more volatile than i am . ” after leaving walmart , she became an equity analyst , and started raising horses . like her siblings , she sought to avoid the publicity that can come with great wealth . she maintained a low profile even after a traffic accident in 1989 , in which she hit and killed a pedestrian . ( no charges were filed . ) “you don’t get over something like that—it’s a tragedy , ” she told me , her eyes filling with tears . “it never leaves you . it becomes a part of who you are . ”
joan washburn , a gallery owner in new york , who has been involved in a number of the museum’s purchases , including a set of screen prints by jackson pollock , says , “she says what she likes and what she doesn’t like , and she isn’t the least bit timid about that . ” abstract expressionism has been one of the harder categories of american art in which to buy , since it is so coveted and so expensive , even for the third - wealthiest woman in the world . ( walton is now outranked by her sister - in - law christy walton , whose husband , john , died in 2005 , and who is worth twenty - six billion dollars , and by liliane bettencourt , the l’oreal heiress , who is worth twenty - three billion . ) for the time being , crystal bridges will represent some abstract expressionist artists with works on paper and with sculpture , rather than with monumental works in oil . “she does happen to have a very small , beautiful pollock drip painting , but she is not worrying about competing with what is on
bolton ( 1760 ) family 19 . bred by the duke of northumberland and owned by william lightfoot of charles city county , virginia . he is described as a beautiful bay horse standing over 15 hands . bred to tayloe ' s sally wright he got an unnamed mare who would become the matriarch of american family a34 , usually called the bolton mare ( ch . f . 1776 ) .
the feed and supplement award went to gastrokind , which was supplied to judges with “clinical examples of it being successfully used by horse owners” . a spokesman for maker science supplements said : “our ethos is to continually produce the best products based on the most recent research and clinical evidence . to win this award for a second time is a very proud moment and a first for any supplement company . ”
revenge ( b . c . 1791 ) by achilles ( ch . c . 1779 by eclipse ) - lively lass by pagan - blank - doge . the last three mares are not identified in the general stud book , or elsewhere . the colt was described as a
large boned , short jointed running horse .
he was probably a hunter . imported in 1796 and stood in maryland .
racecourse . king ' s plates were races in which horses carried heavy weights and ran in a series of heats , with the first horse to take two heats being the winner . carrying 160 pounds , ditto beat his only rival , a five - year - old mare named gipsy , in the first of the four mile heats and claimed the prize when the mare was withdrawn from the second heat .


the prairie falcon ( falco mexicanus ) is a medium-large sized falcon of western north america .

it is about the size of a peregrine falcon or a crow , with an average length of 40 cm ( 16 in ) , wingspan of approximately 1 meter ( 40 in ) , and average weight of 720 g ( 1.6 lb ) .

as in all falcons , females are noticeably bigger than males .

though a separate species from the peregrine , the prairie falcon is basically an arid environment adaptation of the early peregrine falcon lineage , able to subsist on less food than the peregrine , and generally lighter in weight than a peregrine of similar wing span .

having evolved in a harsh desert environment with low prey density , the prairie falcon has developed into an aggressive and opportunistic hunter of a wide range of both mammal and bird prey .

it will regularly take prey from the size of sparrows to approximately its own weight , and occasionally much larger .

it is the only larger falcon native only to north america .

it is resident from southern canada , through western united states , and into northern mexico .

the prairie falcon is popular as a falconry bird , where with proper training it is regarded as being as effective as the more well known peregrine falcon .

prairie falcon

the prairie falcon is a medium to large bird that frequents the plains of south dakota . a mature prairie falcon averages 14 to
the oldest prairie falcon living up to 17 years of age died in 1992 .
campbell admits that working in the vertical world of the prairie falcon has its challenges .
this prairie falcon chick is about three weeks old . ( caroline wagner / cbc )
the prairie falcon was first described in 1850 by hermann schlegel , the german ornithologist .
campbell adds that , ultimately , it ' s about keeping the prairie falcon population healthy .
wright , m . 1985 . prairie falcon and peregrine falcon survey on the flathead indian reservation . university of montana , missoula . 81 pp .
and he says that right now , things aren ' t going so well for the prairie falcon .
john campbell places a band on the leg of a prairie falcon chick . ( caroline wagner / cbc )
terres , j . 1980 . falcon , prairie . pp . 273 - 274 in j terres , ed .
prairie falcon pairs are notoriously aggressive in defending their nest sites—against great horned owls , eagles , hawks , and even other prairie falcons , sometimes killing fledglings that stray into the wrong territory .
the prairie falcon is a locally common bird in the semi - arid open plains of south dakota . these falcons prey chiefly on
white , c . m . 1962 . prairie falcon displays accipitrine and circinine hunting methods . condor 64 : 439 - 440 .
usually capturing prey on or near the ground . the prairie falcon , as do other species of falcons , swoops down upon its prey
john campbell cradles two prairie falcon chicks . there are five of them in the cochrane - area nest . ( caroline wagner / cbc )
allen , g . t . 1987 . prairie falcon aerie site characteristics and aerie use in north dakota . condor 89 : 187 - 190 .
campbell ' s dedication to the prairie falcon population was recognized by the province in 2015 , when he received the order of the bighorn award .
color : the prairie falcon is light brown above and pale below . it has a dark
mustache
and dark areas beneath its wings .
has a wide range and large global population and is considered a low conservation risk currently . prairie falcon populations do not seem to be declining .
steenhof , k . 1998 . prairie falcon ( falco mexicanus ) . pp . 1 - 28 in a poole , f gill , eds .
enderson , j . h . 1964 . a study of the prairie falcon in the central rocky mountain region . auk 81 : 332 - 352 .
sounds : prairie falcons make a
kree - kree - kree
call .
prairie falcon migration poorly understood . for the most part , a short distance migrant , leaving the breeding grounds for nearby open terrain if larger prey base .
every spring , he packs up his boots , a rope , and dozens of tiny metal bands , then heads out in search of prairie falcon nests .
john campbell climbs up to a prairie falcon nest . he says he ' s taken a few tumbles over the years . ( caroline wagner / cbc )
this falcon is known to be highly territorial during the breeding season and will actually commonly attack other prairie falcons and birds of prey to keep its ground .
enderson , j . h . 1964 . a study of the prairie falcon in the central rocky mountain region . auk 81 : 332 - 352 . pdf
the prairie falcon is one the larger birds of prey inhabiting western north america . it looks rather similar in appearance to the closely related and distributed peregrine falcon , the difference being spotted in terms of their color , and hunting patterns .
the prairie falcon is a bird of prey is found primarily in the western united states . in minnesota it is sometimes seen during its spring and fall migration .
banding prairie falcons is no easy task . the birds nest high up on cliffs .
great horned owls and golden eagles have been known to hunt and kill prairie falcons .
the plumage of the prairie falcon helps it blend in with the rocky cliffs and ledges that it nests in , thus giving it a nice camouflage from potential trouble .
mauritius kestrel , falco punctatus . this small falcon was nearly extinct in 1974 .
publication of the prairie falcon fact sheet was funded by the s . d . department of game , fish , and parks , division of wildlife , pierre , sd .
a special structure of the prairie falcon’s tail feathers lends it the ability to soar for up to 5 times longer distances by fanning out the tail and flattening the wings .
prairie falcons make a sound that can be best described as ‘kree - kree - kree’ .
porter , r . d . and c . m . white . 1973 . the peregrine falcon in utah , emphasizing ecology , and competition with the prairie falcon . brigham young university science bulletin , biological series 18 ( 1 ) : 1 - 74 .
prairie falcons are widely considered the most aggressive of all raptors . nesting adults will attack other prairie falcons that enter their territory as well as other sympatric raptor species , including golden eagles (
the prairie falcon is a popular bird for use in falconry , as with proper training from a young age it gets adept in hunting its quarry and returning to the falconer .
montana prairie dog working group . 2002 . conservation plan for black - tailed and white - tailed prairie dogs in montana . montana fish , wildlife and parks . helena mt . 51 pp .
prairie falcons are similar in size and markings to peregrine falcons , but prairie falcons are lighter brown in color , and their breasts are more spotted than barred . prairie falcons also have white behind their eyes . in flight , they can be distinguished from the peregrine falcon by their more rounded wingtips and dark axillaries and coverts , which make for distinctive field marks from below .
the prairie falcon sometimes bathes in river shallows , but dust - bathing is probably more common than water - bathing , because of the general scarcity of standing water in its habitat .
enderson , j . h . 1998 . ( review of ) the prairie falcon , by stanley h . anderson and john r . squire . auk 115 : 268 - 269 .
enderson , j . h . 1969 . prairie falcon nesting success in colorado in 1965 . pp . 362 - 363 in j . j . hickey ( ed . ) , peregrine falcon populations : their biology and decline . university of wisconsin , madison , wi .
the hardy prairie falcon has always made its living in lands that are susceptible to periodic droughts . as a mammal - eating specialist , it survived the pesticide era better than the closely related , bird - eating peregrine falcon ( falco peregrinus ) . now , as human populations expand into once unoccupied deserts , the prairie falcon persists in the face of agricultural encroachment , livestock - grazing , energy development , off - road vehicle use , and military training .
allen , g . t . 1987 . estimating prairie falcon and golden eagle nesting populations in north dakota . the journal of wildlife management . 51 ( 4 ) : 711 - 715 .
like peregrine falcons , prairie falcons are highly susceptible to the eggshell - thinning effects of ddt . prairie falcon populations weren ' t hit as hard as peregrines and merlins in the 20th century because their mammal - based diet exposed them to lower pesticide levels than their bird - eating relatives .
prairie and peregrine falcons are similar in size and can be distinguished from each other by color . the prairie falcon is brown and has dark patches under the wings . juvenile peregrine falcons also have brown backs , but the adults are blue - gray and have a uniform underwing color pattern .
prairie falcon : this species breeds from southern british columbia and the canadian prairie provinces south to north - central mexico and western texas . it spends winters within its breeding range and sparingly farther east into the great plains states . preferred habitats include barren mountains , dry plains , and prairies .
falcons : prairie falcons , gyr falcons and peregrine falcons do best on covered dowelings and round perches .
roppe , j . a . , s . m . siegel , and s . e . wilder . 1989 . prairie falcon nesting on transmission towers . condor 91 : 711 - 712 .
the prairie falcon sometimes hunts from a perched position . when it spots something it would like to eat , it drops low from the perch to pursue its intended prey . a prairie falcon also actively searches for food as it flies above its favorite hunting grounds , using its sharp eyesight to spot movement on the ground below . prairie falcons often catch prey on or close to the ground after an exciting high speed , low - angled swoop from above . now that is a sight to see !
enderson , j . h . 1969 . peregrine and prairie falcon life tables based on band - recovery data . pp . 505 - 509 in j . j . hickey ( ed . ) , peregrine falcon populations : their biology and decline . university of wisconsin , madison , wi .
the oldest known prairie falcon was at least 17 years , 3 months old based on banding data . it was banded in alberta in 1975 , and killed by another raptor in montana in 1992 .
boyce , jr . , d . a . 1982 . prairie falcon fledgling productivity in the mojave desert , california . master ' s thesis , humboldt state univ . , arcata , ca . close
the prairie falcon has few enemies , although it is occasionally hunted and killed by great - horned owls . young are eaten by coyotes , dogs , badgers , bobcats , eagles , and owls .
prairie falcons are uncommon permanent residents in south dakota . they are rare in the mountainous region of the black
populations in check as their main source of prey . they are also predators of other bird species . prairie falcons are top predators , but are sometimes preyed on by larger birds of prey , such as golden eagles and great horned owls . prairie falcon eggs and fledglings are sometimes taken by coyotes and bobcats .
true to its name , the prairie falcon occurs in open areas of all kinds , including plains , grasslands , steppes , deserts , and agricultural areas , especially where there are cliffs for nesting and roosting .
prairie falcons nest on suitable cliff ledges , low ridges and banks found throughout western south dakota . nesting occurs in
in spring and fall migrations , prairie falcons prefer open grassland habitats , although they are found in forested habitats in canada during migrations as well . in winter , prairie falcons prefer open desert and grassland habitats . prairie falcons breed in open , arid grasslands with cliffs and bluffs for nesting . nesting sites are commonly shared with common ravens (
prairie falcons have been and continue to be important birds for education and scientific research . their abundance allow for easy studying . they are also the second most frequently harvested bird in the united states for falconry , with nineteen states allowing regulated captures of prairie falcons . prairie falcons also help to regulate populations of ground squirrels and other rodents .
when hunting , the prairie falcon will often swoop low to the ground and surprise their ground prey . however , if they hunt birds they will commonly fly through flocks or single out and chase them until caught .
the prairie falcon , like most raptors , is a keen hunter and therefore employs several different hunting strategies based on factors such as : what prey is being hunted , type of habitat , and maybe even weather conditions .
suter , g . w . , ii and j . l . joness . 1981 . criteria for golden eagle , ferruginous hawk , and prairie falcon nest site protection . raptor res . 15 : 12 - 18 .
falcon is the common name for birds of prey comprising the genus falco in the family falconidae , characterized by a short , curved , notched beak , and thin , long , tapered and powerful wings adapted for swift flight . the term falcon also is applied to all members of falconidae , the falcon family .
a large falcon of the arid west . the prairie falcon is nearly the size of the famous peregrine , but differs in its hunting behavior , often pursuing small prey with rapid , maneuverable flight close to the ground . although it is characteristic of desolate plains and desert wilderness , this falcon has also adapted to altered landscapes : in winter , it is often seen flying over southwestern cities , or hunting horned larks in farm country .
bednarz , j . c . 1984 . effect of mining and blasting on breeding prairie falcon ( falco mexicanus ) occupancy in the caballo mountains , new mexico . raptor res . no . 18 : 16 - 19 . close
enderson , j . h . 1962 . ecology of the prairie falcon ( falco mexicanus schlegel ) in the central rocky mountain region . ph . d . dissertation , university of wyoming , laramie , wy . 67 pp .
enderson , j . h . 1969 . migratory populations of the peregrine falcon : coastal migration data as population indices for the peregrine falcon . pp . 275 - 278 in j . j . hickey ( ed . ) , peregrine falcon populations : their biology and decline . university of wisconsin press , madison , wi .
size : adult prairie falcons are about 17 to 20 inches long , with a wingspan of 3 1 / 2 feet .
enderson , j . h . 1968 . peregrines and prairie falcons . b . p . i . e . 3a .
life is tough for a baby prairie falcon . scientists estimate that 75 percent of the young die before they have a chance to mature . adults may live to be 20 years old , but the average lifespan is less than three years .
the prairie falcon is a large bird of prey that has a pale brown back and whitish chest . this raptor primarily resides in western united states and is often found in arid grasslands , deserts and wide open prairie areas . you can commonly find the prairie falcon nesting on top of a cliff with golden eagles , red - tailed hawks and even common ravens ! these cliff nests they commonly dwell in basically are just dug out holes to hold their eggs . sometimes you will see this raptor bathing in rivers . however , this is not as common because the region it inhabits is very arid and dry .
prairie falcons are popular falconry birds , and 19 states allow falconers to capture the birds ( mostly as nestlings ) to train .
prairie falcons are probably just as fast as peregrine falcons , but they do not dive from a high altitude to pursue prey .
prairie falcons may be declining in some places due to habitat loss and possibly due to nest robbing by people and rodent poisoning .
adult prairie falcons are a pale brown to sandy brown across the top of their wings and back . the head is streaked with
the prairie falcon is a lovely , medium - sized raptor that has a grayish - brown back and a lighter breast mottled with dark streaks and dots . it is has some rufus on its thighs and bright yellow legs and cere . would you believe us if we told you that one of its most unique facial features is its thin , dark moustache ? known by several names , including mostachial stripe or malar stripe , a bird ' s
moustache
is a line of feathers that extends downward from below its eyes or beak . not all birds have malar stripes and those that do may have red ones , yellow ones , or most any other color . in praire falcons , the malar stripe is dark brown or black . both the peregrine falcon and prairie falcon sport malar stripes , though the prairie falcon ' s is much thinner .
steenhof , karen . 2013 . prairie falcon ( falco mexicanus ) , version 2 . 0 . in the birds of north america ( p . g . rodewald , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , new york , usa .
mammals , especially ground squirrels and rabbits , and ground - dwelling birds such as california quails and chukars , make up the majority of the prairie falcon ' s diet . in winter , horned larks and western meadowlarks become a significant source of prey .
prairie falcon flight is distinguished by shallow , stiff wing beats . they are able to soar 4 to 5 times longer distances by flattening their wings and fanning its tail . adult prairie falcons spend 4 to 6 percent of their day preening . dust bathing is the most common form of self - maintenance , but they do bathe in standing water where available . prairie falcons stop flying about a half hour before sunset , however , nocturnal flight has been recorded . most flight takes place throughout the middle of the day .
small birds and mammals , and on a variety of reptiles and insects . prairie falcons hunt using low , rapid , searching flight ,
prairie falcons are mainly solitary and are only found in pairs during the breeding season . play - like behavior has been observed in prairie falcons , as well . birds were observed tossing dried cow manure from their talons and attempting to catch it again in mid - air .
snow , c . 1974 . habitat management series for unique or endangered species , report no . 8 , prairie falcon , falco mexicanus . bureau of land management , u . s . department of interior technical note , t - n - 240 , denver .
the prairie falcon has a large range , estimated globally at 3 , 800 , 000 square kilometers . native to canada , the united states , and mexico , this bird prefers wetland , grassland , and shrubland ecosystems , though it can live on pastureland . the global population of this bird is estimated at 10 , 000 to 100 , 000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the iucn red list . for this reason , the current evaluation status of the prairie falcon is least concern .
white , c . m . 1979 . the cry of the falcon . new era 9 ( l0 ) : 4247 .
prairie falcons are solitary birds of western open country , nesting in cavities on cliffs along rocky canyons , buttes , and outcrops . during winter , they are more widely spread across the west , even in suburban areas with ample open space . unlike the similar peregrine falcon , prairie hunts primarily ground squirrels during summer , which are captured through low , surprise attack flight , as well as by perch hunting . in certain areas , prairie falcons eat birds such as meadowlarks , horned larks , and pipits equally as often or more so as small mammals . throughout winter , prairie falcons catch their own food , but also steal food from harriers , rough - leggeds , and other raptors .
general description : like other falcons , the prairie falcon can be distinguished from hawks in flight by its pointed wings . you can tell it from other falcons when it ' s in the air by the dark markings where its wings join its body on the underside .
prairie falcons usually catch prey by flying low over the ground . they are very vocal during courtship and are often heard before they are seen .
prairie falcon is distinctive if seen well . the blackish wing linings and axillars are diagnostic . adult males tend to be less heavily marked than females , though there is overlap . the following is a link to this photographer ' s website : urltoken . ; photographer jerry and sherry liguori
with brown spotting or streaking on the breast and belly . when in flight , the falcon ' s underwing displays an area of dark
though the prairie falcon doesn ' t participate in long distance migrations like the swainson ' s hawk does , it is considered to be a
partial migrant .
this means that individuals will travel to higher or lower elevations , or to other nearby habitats , depending on food availability .
reliable estimates of overall population size and trends are lacking for this species , especially in mexico . surveys should be conducted throughout its range , and more information is needed on the effects of habitat alteration on prairie falcon diet and breeding success , as well as on the availability of its prey .
habitat loss has limited both nest sites and foraging habitat throughout the range of the prairie falcon . the availability of cliffs for nesting , with adequate surrounding habitat , is a limiting factor for prairie falcons in washington , and habitat loss is their most significant threat . large - scale agricultural development , while it provides wintering habitat , reduces the suitability of the area for nesting . however , although numbers have declined in some developed areas , it appears that the current population is stable overall . unfortunately , the shrub - steppe , where many prairie falcons nest , is one of the most endangered habitats in washington , and this puts prairie falcons at risk . they are listed on both the audubon ~ washington watch list and the washington gap analysis at - risk list .
from behind . a similar species , the peregrine falcon , has been clocked at speeds of over 90 mph in their descents upon prey .
mosher , j . a . and c . m . white . 1978 . falcon temperature regulation . auk 95 : 80 - 84 .
steenhof , k . 1998 . prairie falcon ( falco mexicanus ) . species account number 346 . the birds of north america online ( a . poole , ed . ) . ithaca , ny : cornell laboratory of ornithology ; retrieved 3 / 25 / 2008 from the birds of north america online database
prairie falcons are monogamous during the breeding season . pairs are established upon arriving at the breeding grounds . the mating system is similar to that of peregrine falcons (
enderson , j . h . 1971 . an account of prairie falcons bred in captivity - - 1970 . raptor research news 5 : 44 - 47 . pdf
enderson , j . h . 1965 . a breeding and migration survey of the peregrine falcon . wilson bulletin 77 : 327 - 339 . pdf
though some falcons are predominantly bird eaters , the prairie falcon has a slightly more varied diet . this swift - flying raptor will indeed feed on many types of birds of many different sizes , including relatively small meadowlarks , tanagers and swallows , to bigger and bulkier prey such as chukars , pheasants , nighthawks , doves and quail . prairie falcons have even been known to prey on other raptors , such as burrowing owls ! however , this falcon also consistently hunts small mammals , and in many areas , ground squirrels make up the bulk of its diet . prairie falcons also take kangaroo rats , packrats , and cottontail rabbits when the opportunity arises . they less commonly feed on lizards , such as horned lizards , whiptails , and collared lizards , as well as insects like grasshoppers and scorpions .
white , c . m . 1994 . ( review of ) the peregrine falcon , by derek ratcliffe . journal of raptor research 28 : 276277 .
prairie falcons commonly eat a large amount of ground squirrels and small birds . however it is common for these raptors to prey on small rodents , lizards and even insects .
nestlings and eggs are most susceptible to predation . mammalian predators , especially coyotes and bobcats , prey on nestlings and eggs . great horned owls prey on both adults and nestlings . remains of prairie falcons have been found in golden eagle pellets as well . prairie falcons are aggressive in defense of their territories and nests . they are agile in flight and may avoid predation through agility and aggression . prairie falcons have been observed defending themselves against great horned owls , resulting in the death of the owl in some cases .
emison , w . b . and c . m . white . 1988 . the peregrine falcon in victoria . common ground 1 : 27 - 29 .
white , c . m . 1984 . beginning of an endangered species ' comeback : the peregrine falcon . american biology teacher 46 : 212 - 220 .
a raptor of the west’s wide - open spaces , prairie falcons glide above shrubby deserts and grasslands searching for ground squirrels and other small mammals and birds . in flight , look for the dark triangle of “armpit” feathers that distinguish it from other light - colored falcons . on the breeding territory you may hear a prairie falcon pair’s loud courtship calls , but roosting birds can be tough to spot : their muted cream , brown , and gray plumage blends perfectly with the steep bluffs and cliffs where they nest .
becker , d . m . 1981 . development of artificial nest sites for prairie falcons - - progress report . montana coop . wildl . res . unit . 8 pp .
prairie falcons in summer eat mostly small mammals , particularly ground squirrels . they also eat pikas , birds , and insects . prairie falcons breeding in california and utah also eat many shorebirds , mourning doves , and other bird species . nesting pairs cache excess prey in clumps of vegetation and rocky areas within their territory , and males and females cache food in separate sites . such caches provide a buffer against times when finding prey is difficult . in winter most prairie falcons switch to a diet featuring horned larks and western meadowlarks . back to top
the peregrine falcon , merlin , and american kestrel are long distance migrants to central and south america , with other falcons being short distance migrants or permanent residents .
white , c . m . 1989 . a reassessment of the first nesting record of the peregrine falcon in ecuador . condor 91 : 995 - 997 . pdf
enderson , j . h . 1994 . ( review of ) the peregrine falcon , 2nd ed . , by derek ratcliffe . wilson bulletin 106 : 776 .
moritsch , m . q . 1983 . photographic guide for aging nestling prairie falcons . usdi bureau of land management , snake river birds of prey project . boise district , id .
enderson , j . h . and p . h . wrege . 1973 . dde residues and eggshell thickness in prairie falcons . journal of wildlife management 37 : 476 - 478 .
prairie falcons use cliffs for nesting , and grassland and prairie habitats for hunting . 83 % nesting territories located between 4000 and 6000 ft . most nests are on cliffs averaging 125 ft in height . mean height above base of cliff was 80 ft . 72 % of eyries faced south or east . almost all nests overlooked at least some grassland ( leedy 1972 ) .
for now , prairie falcon populations appear to be stable , which means scientists aren ' t seeing large or notable drops in their numbers . however , they have seen declines in some specific areas , most likely because of urbanization , agricultural development , and other changes in how land is being used . declines have been documented in texas , california , and alberta , canada . if this pattern continues , it could lead to local extinctions . this means that prairie falcons might disappear from a certain state , province , region or other geographic area . fewer prairie falcons and fewer suitable areas will eventually make it harder for individuals to find good habitat and new mates – which could spell trouble for the species in the future .
bramblett , r . g . , and a . v . zale . 2002 . montana prairie riparian native species report . montana cooperative fishery research unit , montana state university - bozeman .
enderson , j . h . and d . d . berger . 1970 . pesticides : eggshell thinning and lowered production of young in prairie falcons . bioscience 20 : 355 - 356 .
prairie falcons are about the same size as juvenile peregrine falcons , but lighter in color and lack the heavy dark wedge on the side of the face of the peregrine falcon . they are much smaller than gyrfalcons , and much larger and lighter in color than female merlins . differs from all other north american falcons in having dark patches in the wingpits .
runde , d . e . and s . h . anderson . 1986 . characteristics of cliffs and nest sites used by breeding prairie falcons . raptor res . 20 : 21 - 28 .
holthuijzen , a . m . a . 1989 . behavior and productivity of nesting prairie falcons in relation to construction activities at swan falls dam . boise , id : idaho power co . close
vocalization is the most common form of communication in prairie falcons , but vocalizations have not been well studied . three types of calls have been documented : cacking calls are territorial and alarm vocalizations ,
white , c . m . 1985 . the peregrine falcon : a species newly reintroduced into northern utah - - part 1 . utah birds 1 : 17 - 19 .
enderson , j . h . 2005 . ( book ) peregrine falcon : stories of the blue meanie . university of texas press , austin , tx . 254 pp .
white , c . m . and d . a . boyce , jr . 1988 . an overview of peregrine falcon subspecies . pp . 789 - 810 in : cade , t . j . et al . ( eds . ) , peregrine falcon populations : their management and recovery . the peregrine fund , inc . , boise , idaho .
white , c . m . and d . j . brimm . 1990 . insect hawking by a peregrine falcon ( falco peregrinus ) in fiji . notornis 37 : 140 .
in north america , falcons form pairs during the breeding season but are solitary at other times . aside from the scavenging , opportunistic caracaras , larger falcons forage on flying birds by catching them in rapid flight , sometimes diving at a bird to rake it with outstretched talons . the gyrfalcons , the prairie falcon , and the american kestrel also take other prey items from the ground , the kestrel often searching for mice , voles , and even insects by hovering in place . the collared forest falcon dashes after a variety of prey items found amidst the forest canopy .
enderson , j . h . and d . d . berger . 1970 . pesticides : eggshell thinning and lowered production of young in prairie falcons . bioscience no . 20 : 355 - 356 . close
enderson , j . h . and g . r . craig . 1976 . peregrine falcon propagation and reintroduction studies . colorado division of wildlife , game research report 173 - 178 .
leedy , r . r . 1972 . the status of prairie falcons in western montana : special emphasis on possible effects of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides . m . s . thesis , university of montana , missoula .
enderson , j . h . and p . h . wrege . 1973 . dde residues and eggshell thickness in prairie falcons . j . wildl . manage . no . 37 : 476 - 478 . close
prairie falcons are large , pale brown falcons with squarish heads and large , dark eyes . characteristic facial features include black malar streaks , a dark ear patch , and a distinctive white patch between the eyes and ear patch . about one year after birth , at full maturation , the bill horn is dark - bluish and yellow at the base . yellow feet and a white throat also distinguish adults . when perched , the wings are shorter than the tail tip . prairie falcons can be identified while in flight by their dark axillaries and a “trailing edge of underwing - coverts” . these stand out against the light colored underwing surface of the bird . prairie falcons are distinguishable from similar looking falcons by dark , triangular patches on the undersurface of their pale wings . females tend to be larger in size and have greater basal metabolic rates than males . prairie falcons can be difficult to spot in their natural habitat , as plumage color blends in naturally with colors of the cliffs on which they nest . prairie falcons are sometimes confused with swainson ' s hawks (
enderson , j . h . and g . r . craig . 1974 . status of the peregrine falcon in the rocky mountains in 1973 . auk 91 : 727 - 736 . pdf
maclaren , p . a . , d . e . runde , and s . h . anderson . 1984 . a record of tree - nesting prairie falcons in wyoming . condor 86 : 12 - 18 .
leedy , r . r . 1972 . the status of prairie falcons in western montana : special emphasis on possible effects of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides . master ' s thesis , univ . of montana , bozeman . close
prairie falcons have a relatively small range , compared to the osprey , for example . however , their distribution still covers quite a large swath of north america . in canada , these speedy falcons are present in south - central british columbia , southern alberta , and southern saskatchewan . their range continues south into the western united states from washington east to western north dakota and south into western and northern texas . but the prairie falcon ' s distribution doesn ' t stop there . it can also be found in northern mexico in areas such as baja california norte and from chihuahua and coahuila to durango and northern san luis potosi .
white , c . m . and r . d . porter . 1986 . native populations of the peregrine falcon in utah : past and present . utah birds 2 : 10 - 14 .
burnham , w . a . , j . h . enderson , and t . j . boardman . 1984 . variation in peregrine falcon eggs . auk 101 : 578 - 283 . pdf
enderson , j . h . and g . r . craig . 1977 . peregrine falcon propagation and reintroduction studies . colorado division of wildlife , game research report 1977 : 213 - 219 .
becker , d . m . and holt , d . w . 1982 . a survey of raptor breeding activity and habitat utilization along the missouri river in north central montana with special emphasis on peregrine and prairie falcons .
ogden , v . t . and m . g . hornocker . 1977 . nesting density and success of prairie falcons in southwestern idaho . j . wildl . manage . no . 41 : 1 - 11 . close
the traditional term for a male falcon is tercel ( british english ) or tiercel ( american english ) , from latin tertius , meaning
third ,
because of the belief that only one in three eggs hatched a male bird or the third egg of a clutch ( coed 2007 ) . some sources give the etymology as deriving from the fact that a male falcon is approximately one - third smaller than the female . a falcon chick that is still in its downy stage , especially one reared for falconry , is known as an eyas ( fd 2007 ) , sometimes spelled eyass .
molard , l . , m . kκry , and c . m . white . 2007 . estimating the resident population size of peregrine falcon falco peregrinus in peninsular malaysia . forktail 23 : 8791 .
enderson , j . h . and m . berthrong . 1984 . pseudomembraneous gastritis compatible with ( clostridium sp . ) in a captive peregrine falcon . raptor research 18 : 72 - 74 . pdf
enderson , j . h . 1975 . ( abstract ) present status of the peregrine falcon in the rocky mountain states . population status of raptors . raptor research report 3 : 77 - 78 .
prairie falcons can sometimes be seen around the peregrine fund ' s world center for birds of prey . watch for them when walking our nature trail . an interpretive sign at the end of the trail teaches you how to identify a raptor based on its silhouette . in the velma morrison interpretive center , you can measure your
wingspan
and compare it to that of a prairie falcon in our display of raptor silhouettes . the visitor center also offers other fun ways to learn about birds of prey with interactive displays , tours , interesting videos and a children ' s room with activities from coloring sheets to quizzes to costumes and a touch table for the curious mind . we also have several different birds of prey on display year - around . knowledgeable staff and volunteers are on hand to answer any questions you may have about prairie falcons or any other birds of prey .
like most other falcons , prairie falcons do not build their own nests . instead , they nest on a ledge , cavity or crevice of a cliff face or they use abandoned nests of eagles , hawks , or ravens .
is found throughout the western united states as well as parts of mexico and canada . it is commonly found in the desert and prairie regions of british columbia , alberta , and saskatchewan in canada . in the united states ,
prairie falcons don ' t construct nests , rather they create a scrape on a ledge . they breed from february to july , with a peak from april to may . they lay from 2 to 6 eggs at 2 day intervals . incubation lasts about 29 to 31 days . young are fledged at 29 to 47 days old and become independent a little more than 2 months after hatching . prairie falcons become sexually mature within 2 years after hatching .
the word falcon comes from its latin name falco , related to latin falx (
sickle
) , and probably is so named from the shape of its curved beak or talons ( webster and mckechnie 1983 ) , but possibly also from the shape of its spread wings ( harper 2001 ) . technically , however , a falcon ' s wings are shaped more like a scythe than a sickle .
fox , r . , s . w . lehmkuhle , and d . h . westendorf . 1976 . falcon visual acuity . science 192 ( 4236 ) : 263–265 . retrieved january 17 , 2008 .
craig , g . r . and j . h . enderson . 2004 . peregrine falcon biology and management in colorado 1973 - 2001 . colorado division of wildlife , technical publication no . 43 . pdf
though they aren ' t common throughout most of the state , they can be seen in an area not far from the world center for birds of prey . the morley nelson snake river birds of prey national conservation area , near kuna , idaho , is a wonderful area to visit for any raptor enthusiast . here , among the sheer canyons , flowing river , and open plateau , you will find large concentrations of nesting raptors , including the lovely prairie falcon . in fact , according to the idaho fish and game department , this area holds the largest concentration of breeding prairie falcons with up to 200 pairs in only 80 miles of the snake river canyon !
becker , d . m . and i . j . ball . 1981 . impacts of surface mining on prairie falcons : recommendations for monitoring and mitigation . montana state univ . , missoula : montana cooperative wildlife research unit . close
prairie falcons do little nest building beyond scratching together loose debris into a small depression or scrape to hold the eggs . they do lay eggs in abandoned stick nests of other species , especially common ravens and golden eagles . erial .
white , c . m . , and d . a . boyce , jr . 1988 . an overview of peregrine falcon subspecies . pp . 789810 in t . j . cade , j . h . enderson , c . g . thelander , and c . m . white ( eds . ) , peregrine falcon populations : their management and recovery . the peregrine fund , inc . , boise , id .
grebence , b . l . and c . m . white . 1989 . physiographic characteristics of peregrine falcon nesting habitat along the colorado river system in utah . great basin naturalist 49 : 408 - 418 .
during the breeding season , prairie falcons inhabit dry , open areas with cliffs and bluffs for nesting . in late summer , many move to alpine and sub - alpine meadows . during winter , they can often be found in agricultural areas .
in february 2005 , the canadian scientist louis lefebvre announced a method of measuring avian intelligence in terms of their innovation in feeding habits ( lefebvre 2005 ) . the falcon and crow family scored highest on this scale .
pruett - jones s . g . , c . m . white , and w . b . emison . 1981 . breeding of the peregrine falcon in victoria , australia . emu 80 : 253 - 269 .
fyfe , r . w . , j . campbell , b . hayson and k . hodson . 1969 . regional population declines and organochlorine insecticides in canadian prairie falcons . can field - nat . no . 83 : 191 - 200 . close
in north america , caracaras and falcons are found from the high arctic to the hot and humid woodlands of southern texas . most species are birds of open habitats such as grasslands and coastal areas , the exception being the woodland dwelling collared forest - falcon . in addition to occurring in open areas that serve as its natural habitat , the peregrine falcon also makes its home in cities , nesting on tall buildings instead of their ancestral cliffs .
white , c . m . 1996 . on the taxonomy of the desert falcons . pp . 76 - 92 in proceedings of the specialist workshop , middle east falcon research group , abu dhabi , united arab emirates .
in north america , nineteen species of caracaras and falcons in six genera have occurred including the extinct guadalupe caracara . the vulture - like caracaras , the peregrine falcon , and the american kestrel are all members of this family .
although the peregrine falcon became highly endangered and was killed off in many areas by ddt during the twentieth century , after the chemical was banned , its populations slowly recovered with reintroduction programs and the bird is no longer threatened .
like most falcon species , the female prairie falcon is much larger than the male . though scientists aren ' t sure why this is so , several theories exist . one theory is that because the female generally spends the most time at the nest , she needs to be able to defend her eggs and young from potential predators . a larger bird would certainly be more intimidating ! another theory posits that males and females are different sizes so as to avoid competition between them for the same prey . a smaller male will generally be faster and more agile and so able to catch smaller , faster prey . the larger female , by the same reasoning , is able to take down larger , heartier prey .
beauvais , g . , j . h . enderson , and a . j . magro . 1992 . home range , habitat use and behavior of prairie falcons wintering in east - central colorado . journal of raptor research 26 : 13 - 18 . pdf
this inhabitant of dry environments of western north america , where cliffs or bluffs punctuate open plains and shrub - steppe deserts , is an efficient and specialized predator of medium - sized desert mammals and birds , ranging widely in search of patchily distributed prey . several species of ground squirrels ( spermophilus spp . ) are the mainstay of the prairie falcon ' s diet ; they provide fat - rich calories that pairs need for raising their broods of 4–5 young during the 3 - to 4 - month nesting season . when ground squirrels move underground to escape summer heat and dryness , most prairie falcons leave their nesting areas in search of other prey . horned larks ( eremophila alpestris ) and western meadowlarks ( sturnella neglecta ) are important prey items in winter .
conway , c . j . , s . h . anderson , d . e . runde and d . abbate . 1995a . effects of experimental nestling harvest on prairie falcons . j . wildl . manage . no . 59 : 311 - 316 . close
white , c . m . , r . w . fyfe , and d . b . lemon . 1990 . the 1980 north american peregrine falcon , falco peregrinus , survey . canadian field - naturalist 104 : 174 - 181 .
white , c . m . , s . g . pruett - jones , and w . b . emison . 1981 . the status and distribution of the peregrine falcon in victoria , australia . emu 80 : 270 - 280 .
enderson , j . h . and w . burnham . 1978 . peregrine falcon management and research in northern new mexico , 1978 . the peregrine fund at cornell university and the peregrine fund , inc . , fort collins , co .
prairie falcons are among the species of birds that seem to play—they ' ve been seen dropping dried cow manure in midair and then diving to catch it . like young ball players flipping a baseball to themselves , this may be a way to sharpen their coordination skills .
cade , t . j . , j . h . enderson , c . g . thelander , and c . m . white . 1988 . conclusions ( peregrine falcon populations ) . pp . 857 - 861 in t . j . cade , j . h . enderson , c . g . thelander , and c . m . white ( eds . ) , peregrine falcon populations : their management and recovery . the peregrine fund , inc . , boise , id .
fyfe , r . w . , r . w . risebrough and w . walker ii . 1976a . pollutant effects on the reproduction of the prairie falcons and merlins of the canadian prairies . can . field - nat . no . 90 : 346 - 355 . close
prairie falcons usually begin breeding at two years of age . in late winter or early spring the female lays three to six eggs on a cliff or in an abandoned nest . the eggs hatch after about a month . the young are able to fly after 40 days .
although the members of the genus falco are known as the
true falcons ,
there are other genera in falconidae whose members include the common name of falcon or falconets . these include the forest falcons ( genus micrastur ) , the laughing falcon ( genus herpetotheres ) , the pygmy - falcons ( genus polihierax ) , the spot - winged falconet ( genus spiziapteryx ) , and the typical falconets ( genus microhierax ) . this article will be on those members of the genus falco .
squires , j . r . , s . h . anderson and r . oakleaf . 1993 . home range size and habitat - use patterns of nesting prairie falcons near oil developments in northeastern wyoming . j . field ornithol . no . 64 : 1 - 10 . close
prairie falcons eat other birds . they chase them in the air , then capture them on the ground . they also eat small mammals and the young eat insects . they tend to develop a liking for one kind of food and then eat that until the supply is depleted .
white , c . m . 1988 . peregrine falcon . pp . 324 - 335 in r . s . palmer ( ed . ) , handbook of north american birds , vol . 5 . yale university press , new haven , ct .
white , c . m . 2009 . preface for
peregrine falcon populations ; status and perspectives in the 21st century ,
edited by janusz sielicki and tadeusz mizera . turul publishing and poznan university of life sciences press , poznan , poland .
white , c . m . , w . b . emison , and w . m . bren . 1988 . atypical nesting habitat of the peregrine falcon ( falco peregrinus ) in victoria , australia . raptor research 22 : 37 - 43 .
craig , j . , j . h . enderson , m . nelson et al . 1977 ( revised in 1984 ) . recovery plan : american peregrine falcon . u . s . fish and wildlife service , washington , d . c .
porter , r . d . , g . craig , d . ellis , j . enderson , and w . hunt . 1978 . status of the peregrine falcon in the rocky mountains and the southwestern united states , baja california and mexico ( south of texas ) . pp . 26 - 32 in p . o . schaffer and s . m ehlers ( eds . ) , the current status of peregrine falcon populations in north america . national audubon society , western education center , tiburon , ca .
on its breeding areas , this falcon is often heard long before it is seen . loud territorial and courtship calls are sometimes the only clue of its presence , because its nondistinct plumage blends in with the dark , earthy mineral colors of the cliffs on which it nests . the smaller male can be distinguished from the female by its more rapid wing beats and shriller call . prairie falcons often share their nesting cliffs with common ravens ( corvus corax ) , golden eagles ( aquila chrysaetos ) , and red - tailed hawks ( buteo jamaicensis ) .
ritchie , r . j . , a . m . wildman , and c . m . white . 2004 . peregrine falcon nesting on lake bluffs on the arctic coastal plain of northern alaska . journal of raptor research 38 : 158 - 160 . pdf
johansson , c . , e . linder , p . hardin , and c . m . white . 1998 . bill and body size in the peregrine falcon , north versus south : is size adaptive ? journal of biogeography 24 : 265 - 273 .
prairie falcons shift habitats periodically throughout the year , and some may migrate long distances . in late summer , ground squirrels move underground to escape the dry , hot environment . prairie falcons , losing their major source of prey , leave the nesting grounds at this time and head to higher elevations , where snowmelt prolongs the growing season . in late fall , some birds return to the shrub - steppe , and many spend the winter in open fields and agricultural areas , taking advantage of the flocking birds that winter there . some also move short distances south and east during the winter .
caracaras and falcons are known for their rapid flight and aggressive , predatory behavior . the peregrine falcon is well known for its ability to catch other birds in flight with the fastest dives recorded for any bird ( over one hundred seventy - five miles per hour ) .
white , c . m . 1969 . population trends in utah raptors . pp . 359 - 362 in : hickey , j . j . ( ed . ) , peregrine falcon populations : their biology and decline . university of wisconsin press , madison , wisconsin .
emison , w . b . , c . m . white , v . g . hartley , and d . j . brimm . 1997 . factors influencing the breeding distribution of the peregrine falcon in victoria , australia . wildlife research 24 : 433 - 444 .
craig , g . r . , g . c . white , and j . h . enderson . 2004 . survival , recruitment , and rate of population change of the peregrine falcon population in colorado . journal of wildlife management 68 : 1032 - 1038 . pdf
cade , t . j . , j . h . enderson , l . f . kiff , and c . m . white . 1997 . are there enough good data to justify delisting the american peregrine falcon ? wildlife society bulletin 25 : 730 - 738 .
emison , w . b . , v . g . hurley , c . m . white , and d . j . brimm . 1998 . results from a banding study of peregrine falcon chicks in victoria , 1972 - 1997 . corella 22 : 87 - 91 .
prairie falcons are relatively uncommon throughout the west and northern mexico and rare to exceptionally rare in the east . a few birds make it to the great lakes region during fall and winter every few years , but it is generally a rarity anywhere east of the great plains . prairie is lesser revered than peregrine , but it is nearly as impressive in flight , and is more than capable of super high - speed stoops and aggressive nest defenses . their call is very similar to peregrine ' s , but a slightly higher pitched
kak - kak - kak - kak . . .
females are larger than males .