Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!helios!tamuts!e343gv From: e343gv@tamuts.tamu.edu (Gary Varner) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: Peregrine over Route 1 in New Brunswick, NJ??? Summary: Many or most peregrines aren't bigger than pigeons Message-ID: <10506@helios.TAMU.EDU> Date: 29 Nov 90 21:48:26 GMT References: Sender: usenet@helios.TAMU.EDU Distribution: rec.birds,usa Organization: Texas A&M University Lines: 14 I don't have my bird books here in the office, but during my experience working at the Raptor Rehabilitation and Propagation Project in Eureka Missouri for about a year I was struck by the fact that peregrines are smaller than several things they commonly kill, including ducks most certainly, but also, i think, including pigeons. The heftier female peregrines only weigh about 3 lbs., and while I don't have a reference handy as to the weight of a pigeon, I can't help thinking that many or most male peregrines are not noticeably bigger than pigeons. So although I don't know what to make of the color and wing shape described in the original posting, I don't think the size of the raptor was diagnostic. A humble birder - Gary Varner, Texas A&M Dept. of Philosophy Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com