Flying Back From the Brink Flying Back from the Brink by David Salvesen Circling high above the Hudson River, a lone peregrine falcon silently scans the landscape below.
Herring gulls scavenge for floating scraps.
A great blue heron skirts the water's edge for small fry. The falcon's coal-black eyes, however, fix on an unwary pigeon recklessly crossing the river. The hunter tucks its wings close to its body and plummets toward its target, soon reaching 100 miles per hour. Special baffles in its nostrils slow incoming air, allowing the falcon to breathe during its rapid descent. Within seconds, the falcon slams into the hapless pigeon in an explosion of feathers.