NORTH AMERICA POPULATIONS

The peregrine falcon is essentially cosmopolitan in its distribution. Three races have been described in North America including F. p. pealei, F. p. tundrius and F. p. anatum. Falco p. pealei is a large, dark, sedentary form inhabiting the island chains of the Pacific Northwest. Falco p. tundrius is a paler-colored, smaller, highly migratory form with a breeding distribution limited to the nearctic tundra region. Falco p. anatum is a large, forest-inhabiting race that is variable in its migratory behavior. Its range spans the continent, intergrading with tundrius to the north and limited to north-central Mexico to the south. Peregrines that historically nested in Virginia were an anatum subpopulation referred to as the Appalachian peregrine, and the population was comprised of individuals larger and darker than the other subpopulations of the race.