In either case, most Peregrines go through courtship rituals every spring. Males court the females with aerobatic flights and repeated calls. Courtship feeding is often observed, where the male will catch prey and present it to the female. This strengthens the pair bond, and also gives the female the extra nutritional boost she needs to lay healthy eggs, since she is too heavy to hunt efficiently on her own just prior to laying the eggs. Although pairs commonly stay together for many years, the relationship between couples often appears to be not too friendly.
Females are normally dominant over males, and can be quite aggressive toward their partners.
Often they will take food from the male, or chase him away from the nest. For his part, the male often approaches his mate cautiously and bows in submission to her. Once the pair bond has been established, the next priority is to select a nest site. The male chooses several potential nest sites, and shows these to the female. She then decides which one of these she likes the best, and that becomes the nest.