Peregrine taking off to hunt for food to feed her fledglings. I took this picture while hiking along Devil's Slide Coastal Trail, Pacifica California, where a pair are raising their young ones. Peregrine Falcons prefer to build their nests on tall cliff faces overlooking coasts, rivers, or wetlands. Their nests are called eyries or scrapes when located on cliffs. Peregrines prefer cliffs 100-200 feet tall, though they will nest on lower or higher cliffs as well. They do not build traditional nests out of twigs, grass, and mud, but rather scrape a shallow depression on cliff edges or soil on a building roof top. The nest may be lined with some pebbles, grass, debris, or feathers, but little nest construction. Peregrine Falcons are also known to nest in tree cavities, abandoned nests of other birds like ravens (crows), and on the ground.
