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Field Guide/Birds/Falco peregrinus

2006-10-04T19:06:32Z

216.16.232.98: /* Trivia */

{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| image = Peregrine falcon x.jpg
| name = Peregrine Falcon
| status = LC
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Falconiformes]]
| familia = [[Falconidae]]
| genus = ''[[Falcon|Falco]]''
| species = '''''F. peregrinus'''''
| binomial = ''Falco peregrinus''
| binomial_authority = [[Marmaduke Tunstall|Tunstall]], [[1771]]
}}

The '''Peregrine Falcon''' (''Falco peregrinus''), sometimes formerly known in [[North America]] as '''Duck Hawk''', is a medium-sized [[falcon]] about the size of a large [[crow]]: 38-53 [[Metre#SI multiples|cm]] (15 to 21 [[inch]]es) long. The [[English language|English]] and scientific species names mean "wandering falcon", and refer to the fact that some populations are [[bird migration|migratory]]. It has a wingspan of about 1 [[metre]] (40 inches). Males weigh 570-710 [[gram]]s; the noticeably larger females weigh 910-1190 grams.

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest creature on the planet in its hunting dive, the [[stoop]], in which it soars to a great height, then [[free fall]]s at speeds in excess of 300 km/h (185mph) into either wing of its prey, so as not to harm itself on impact. Although not self-propelled speeds, due to the fact that the falcon gathers the momentum and controls its dive, capture (if any) and landing in its own right, technically there is no faster animal. The fastest speed recorded is 390 km/h (242.3mph).
The fledglings practice the roll and the pumping of the wings before they master the actual stoop.
== Range, habitat and subspecies==
Peregrine Falcons live mostly along [[mountain range]]s, [[river]] [[valley]]s, and [[coastline]]s and increasingly, in cities. They are widespread throughout the entire world and are found on all [[continents]] except [[Antarctica]].

There are many subspecies of Peregrine Falcon, including:
* ''Falco peregrinus'', the nominate mainly non-migratory race, which breeds over much of western Eurasia
* ''F. p. anatum'' is mostly found in the [[Rocky Mountains]]. Although it used to be common throughout eastern North America, and is currently being re-introduced in the region, it remains uncommon in much of its former range. Most mature ''anatums'', except those that breed in more northern areas, winter in their breeding range. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe
* ''F. p. brookei'' of southern [[Europe]] to the [[Caucasus]] is smaller and more rufous below that the nominate race.
* ''F. p. calidus'' breeds in the [[Arctic]] [[tundra]] of [[Eurasia]] and is completely [[bird migration|migratory]] and travels as far as sub-[[Sahara]]n [[Africa]]. It is larger and paler than the nominate race
* ''F. p. madens'' breeds in the [[Cape Verde Islands]] and has brown-washed upperparts.
* ''F. p. pealei'' is found in the [[Pacific Northwest]] of North America, and is non-migratory.
* ''F. p. tundrius'' breeds in the [[Arctic]] [[tundra]] of [[North America]] but is migratory and travels as far as [[South America]]

The [[Barbary Falcon]], ''Falco (peregrinus) pelegrinoides'', is often considered to be a subspecies of the Peregrine.

Peregrines in mild-winter regions are usually permanent residents, and some birds, especially adult males, will remain on the breeding territory. However, the Arctic subspecies migrate; ''tundrius'' birds from [[Alaska]], northern [[Canada]] and [[Greenland]] migrate to [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]], and all ''calidus'' birds from northern Eurasia move further south or to coasts in winter.

Peregrine Falcons feed almost exclusively on birds, such as [[dove]]s, waterfowl and songbirds, but occasionally they hunt small mammals, including bats, rats, voles and rabbits. Insects and reptiles make up a relatively small proportion of their diet. On the other hand, a growing number of city-dwelling Falcons find that [[feral pigeon]]s and [[Common Starling]]s provide plenty of food.

Peregrine Falcons breed at approximately two or three years of age. They mate for life and return to the same nesting spot annually. Their courtship flight includes a mix of aerial acrobatics, precise spirals, and steep dives. The male passes prey it has caught to the female in midair. To make this possible, the female actually flies upside-down to receive the food from the male's talons. Females lay an average clutch of three or four eggs in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or, increasingly, on tall buildings or bridges. They occasionally nest in tree hollows or in the disused nest of other large birds.

The laying date varies according to locality, but is generally:
* from [[February]] to [[March]] (in the [[Northern Hemisphere]])
* from [[July]] to [[August]] (in the [[Southern Hemisphere]])
The females incubate the eggs for twenty-nine to thirty-two days at which point the eggs hatch. While the males also sometimes help with the incubation of the eggs, they only do so occasionally and for short periods.

Thirty-five to forty-two days after hatching, the chicks will fledge, but they tend to remain dependent on their parents for a further two months. The tercel, or male, provides most of the food for himself, the female, and the chicks; the falcon, or female, stays and watches the young.

Because of their high metabolic rates, Peregrine Falcons must consume more food in proportion to their size than most animals. To be efficient flyers, the digestive system of birds has to be both as light as possible and as efficient as possible. The need to keep weight as low as possible also means that, except perhaps prior to migration, there is a limit to the amount of fat the Peregrine Falcon can store. The respiratory system is also unique; the Peregrine Falcon maintains a one-way flow of air so that it can breathe while flying. This system is much more efficient than the more common two-way flow of air. Birds have two relatively small lungs, where gas exchange occurs, but the lungs are augmented by bellows-like air sacs, where no gas exchange occurs. These air sacs keep the lungs perpetually inflated, even when the bird is exhaling. The Peregrine Falcon also has cones in its nostrils to help regulate breathing at high speeds. Its circulatory system also needs to be exceptionally strong, because flying takes lots of oxygen. A bird's heart beats much faster than the human heart does, approximately 600-900 beats per minute.

The average life span of a Peregrine Falcon is approximately eight to ten years, although some have been recorded to live until slightly more than twenty years of age.

==Threats==
The Peregrine Falcon became [[endangered species|endangered]] because of the overuse of [[pesticide]]s, during the [[1950s]] and [[1960s]]. Pesticide build-up interfered with reproduction, thinning eggshells and severely restricting the ability of birds to reproduce. The DDT buildup in the falcon's fat tissues would result in less calcium in the eggshells, leading to flimsier, more fragile eggs. In several parts of the world, this species was wiped out by pesticides.

Peregrine eggs and chicks are often targeted by thieves and collectors, so the location of their nest should not be revealed, unless they are protected.

===Recovery efforts===
[[Image:Peregrine_Falcon.jpg|thumb|250px|This Peregrine Falcon was found injured and survived in [[Olomouc]] Zoological Garden, the [[Czech Republic]]. One of activities of the [[zoo|zoological garden]] is a programme of helping injured [[birds of prey]].]]
Wildlife services around the world organized Peregrine Falcon recovery teams to breed them in captivity.

The birds were fed through a chute, so they could not see the human trainers. Then, when they were old enough, the box was opened. This allowed the bird to test its wings. As the bird got stronger, the food was reduced because the bird could hunt its own food. This procedure is called hacking. To release a captive-bred falcon, the bird was placed in a special box at the top of a tower or cliff ledge.

Worldwide recovery efforts have been remarkably successful. In the [[United States]], the banning of DDT eventually allowed released birds to breed successfully. There are now dozens of breeding pairs of Peregrine Falcons in the northeastern USA and Canada.

Many have settled in large cities, including [[London, Ontario|London Ontario]] and [[Derby]], where they nest on cathedrals, [[skyscraper]] window ledges, and the towers of [[suspension bridge]]s. About 18 pairs nested in [[New York City]] in 2005.[http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/2005pfsum.pdf]

These structures typically closely resemble the natural cliff ledges that the species prefers for nesting locations. During daytime the falcons have been observed swooping down to catch common city birds such as [[Rock Dove|pigeon]]s and [[Common Starling]]s. In many cities, the Falcons have been credited with controlling the numbers of such birds, which have often become pests, without resort to more controversial methods such as poisoning or hunting.

[[Image:Stamp-ctc-1990s-recovering-species.png|thumb|Successful efforts at saving endangered species like the Peregrine were recognized by a U.S. postal stamp.]]

In [[Virginia]], state officials working with students from the Center for Conservation Biology of the [[College of William and Mary]] in [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] successfully established nesting boxes high atop the [[George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge]] on the [[York River]], the [[Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge]] and [[Varina-Enon Bridge]] on the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]], and at other similar locations. Thirteen new chicks were hatched in this Virginia program during a recent year. Over 250 falcons have been released through the Virginia program.

In the 53-mile long [[New River (West Virginia)|New River Gorge]] of [[West Virginia]], another program is underway to re-establish populations by transferring "bridge chicks" from Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey to special nesting boxes mounted on the high cliffs. [http://www.nps.gov/neri/pphtml/newsdetail23591.html]. Chicago also started its habitat protection programs with a special recognition of Peregrine Falcon by making it the official bird of the city.[http://www.falconliving.com/chicago-real-estate-news/2006/07/peregrine-falcon-official-city-bird-of.html]

The Peregrine Falcon was removed from the [[United States|U.S.]] Threatened and [[Endangered Species]] list on [[August 25]], [[1999]]. In 2003, some states began issuing limited numbers of [[falconry]] permits for Peregrines, due to the success of the recovery program.

In the [[United Kingdom|UK]], there has been a good recovery of populations since the crash of the [[1960]]s. This has been greatly assisted by conservation and protection work led by the [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds|RSPB]]. Peregrines now breed in many mountainous and coastal areas, especially in the west and north. They are also using some city buildings for nesting, capitalizing on the urban pigeon populations for food

==Trivia==
*The Mediterranean Peregrine Falcon, in this context known as the [[Maltese Falcon]], was the annual rent required by Holy Roman Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] when he donated the Island of [[Malta]] to the [[Knights Hospitaller]] in [[1530]].
*The Peregrine Falcon appears on the left hand side of the [[Coat of arms of the Isle of Man]]. The Peregrine is used owing to the historical importance of the bird in the [[Isle of Man|Isle of Man's]]. When [[Henry IV of England]] gave the Isle of Man to [[Sir John Stanley]] he made the condition that Sir John give two Peregrine Falcons to him, and furthermore to every future monarch of England on his or her [[Coronation]] Day. This tradition was carried out up to the Coronation of [[George IV]] in [[1821]].
*The Peregrine Falcon has cones in its nostrils to help regulate breathing at high speed, and, once their use had been found, they were mimicked in fighter jets.
*A Peregrine Falcon, ''Lucy'', was filmed in the movie ''[[The Falcon and the Snowman]]''.
*In the series of children's novels, "[[Animorphs]]," the peregrine falcon is the favorite bird morph of [[Jake Berenson|Jake]].
*A Peregrine Falcon will be prominently featured on the [[Idaho]] quarter to be issued in [[2007]] as part of the [[United States Mint|United States Mint's]] [[50 State Quarters]] program. [http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/NEWS01/607250374]
*Unlike Peregrine Falcons of the Northern Hemisphere, [[Australia]]n Peregrine Falcons are [[non-migratory]]. Also, the breeding season of the Australian Peregrine Falcons lasts from [[July]] to [[November]] each year.

==References==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=49518|title=Falco peregrinus|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* Tucker VA. Gliding flight: speed and acceleration of ideal falcons during diving and pull out. ''J. Exp. Biol.'' '''201'''(Pt 3):403-14 (1998).

== Peregrine Falcon webcams ==

===United States===
* [http://wildlife.utah.gov/peregrine/ Utah Peregrine Falcon webcam] - real time video of nesting Peregrine Falcons on the Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake City Utah.
*[http://www.woodmen.org/falcons/falconcam/index.cfm Woodmen of the World Peregrine Falcon Webcam] Webcam for the falcon nest at the Woodmen Tower in downtown Omaha, NE.
* [http://www.scpbrg.org/ Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group]
* [http://www.pge.com/peregrinenestcam/ San Francisco Peregrine Falcon webcam] - Peregrine Falcon webcam on 33rd floor of Pacific Gas and Electric Company building in San Francisco, a SCPBRG site
* [http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon/ Pennsylvania Peregrine Falcon webcam] - DEP Falcon Cam shows a nesting pair in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
* [http://www.falcons.boonshoftmuseum.org/ Ohio Peregrine Falcon webcam] - Falcon Cam showing 16-year-old tiercel "Mercury" and his mate Snowball in Dayton Ohio
* [http://www.kodak.com/go/birdcam Kodak Birdcam] Kodak Birdcam - Kodak Corporate website. Nesting site located at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY, USA. Five camera views, photo galleries, videos, educational materials for educators and teachers. Tracking falcons Mariah and her mates since 1998
*[http://www.paconserve.org/rc/peregrine.html WPC Peregrine Recovery Program] Webcams for the falcon nests at the Gulf Tower and Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA.
*[http://www.macombcountymi.gov/peregrine/index.asp Macomb County Peregrine webcam] Webcams for the falcon nest at the Macomb County Building in Mount Clemens, MI.
*[http://www.indystar.com/falconcam Indianapolis Star Peregrine Webcam] Webcams for the falcon nest at the Key Bank Building in downtown Indianapolis, IN.
*[http://www.raptorresource.org Raptor Resource Project] Eight falcon cams, an osprey cam, an owl cam, and an eagle cam. Also includes photo forum, video clips, educational materials, and links.
*[http://134.156.98.1/falconcam/ Boswell Energy Center Falconcam] Webcam for the falcon nest at Minnesota Power's Boswell Energy Center near Cohasset, MN.

===Canada===
* [http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/]
* [http://www.hamiltonnature.org/hamfalcam.html Hamilton Nature] Falcon Cam shows chicks in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Website also features galleries from previous years.

===Australia===
* [http://thecouriermail.com.au/extras/frodocam/default.htm FrodoCam] Live Peregrine Falcon webcam located in [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]. The webcam shows nesting pair, Frodo and his mate Frieda. The website is active all year round, and there is continuous live cam coverage (both day and night), during the breeding season. There are also current video footage and current photo galleries — plus photo galleries and video footage from previous years. There is also a "Frodocam Forum" page. The Australian breeding season lasts from [[July]] to [[November]]–[[December]] each year. The 2006 breeding season is now here, and Frieda laid three eggs — with all three chicks having now hatched.

===The Netherlands===
* [http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id=2219210/sc=19b33e Planet.nl, live video coverage of falcon nest at communication tower in De Mortel, Netherlands]

===Italy===
* [http://www.provincia.bologna.it/polizia/webcam/ Live Peregrine webcam at Bologna, Italy]

===World cams===
* [http://www.beakspeak.com/birdcams/ a listing of Bird cams from around the world] - site includes direct links to nests with chicks

== External links ==
* [http://endangered.fws.gov/facts2.html US FWS site]
* [http://peregrinefund.org/ Peregrine Falcan conservation]

[[Category:Cosmopolitan species]]
[[Category:Falcons]]
[[Category:Falconry]]
[[Category:National symbols of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Fauna of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Arctic birds]]
[[Category:African raptors]]
[[Category:Fauna of Italy]]
[[Category:Fauna of Lombardy]]
[[Category:Fauna of Scotland]]
[[Category:Birds of Australia]]

[[bg:Сокол скитник]]
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[[lt:Sakalas keleivis]]
[[mk:Сив сокол]]
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[[sr:Сиви соко]]
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Field Guide/Birds/Falco peregrinus

2006-10-04T19:05:02Z

216.16.232.98: /* Trivia */

{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| image = Peregrine falcon x.jpg
| name = Peregrine Falcon
| status = LC
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Falconiformes]]
| familia = [[Falconidae]]
| genus = ''[[Falcon|Falco]]''
| species = '''''F. peregrinus'''''
| binomial = ''Falco peregrinus''
| binomial_authority = [[Marmaduke Tunstall|Tunstall]], [[1771]]
}}

The '''Peregrine Falcon''' (''Falco peregrinus''), sometimes formerly known in [[North America]] as '''Duck Hawk''', is a medium-sized [[falcon]] about the size of a large [[crow]]: 38-53 [[Metre#SI multiples|cm]] (15 to 21 [[inch]]es) long. The [[English language|English]] and scientific species names mean "wandering falcon", and refer to the fact that some populations are [[bird migration|migratory]]. It has a wingspan of about 1 [[metre]] (40 inches). Males weigh 570-710 [[gram]]s; the noticeably larger females weigh 910-1190 grams.

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest creature on the planet in its hunting dive, the [[stoop]], in which it soars to a great height, then [[free fall]]s at speeds in excess of 300 km/h (185mph) into either wing of its prey, so as not to harm itself on impact. Although not self-propelled speeds, due to the fact that the falcon gathers the momentum and controls its dive, capture (if any) and landing in its own right, technically there is no faster animal. The fastest speed recorded is 390 km/h (242.3mph).
The fledglings practice the roll and the pumping of the wings before they master the actual stoop.
== Range, habitat and subspecies==
Peregrine Falcons live mostly along [[mountain range]]s, [[river]] [[valley]]s, and [[coastline]]s and increasingly, in cities. They are widespread throughout the entire world and are found on all [[continents]] except [[Antarctica]].

There are many subspecies of Peregrine Falcon, including:
* ''Falco peregrinus'', the nominate mainly non-migratory race, which breeds over much of western Eurasia
* ''F. p. anatum'' is mostly found in the [[Rocky Mountains]]. Although it used to be common throughout eastern North America, and is currently being re-introduced in the region, it remains uncommon in much of its former range. Most mature ''anatums'', except those that breed in more northern areas, winter in their breeding range. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe
* ''F. p. brookei'' of southern [[Europe]] to the [[Caucasus]] is smaller and more rufous below that the nominate race.
* ''F. p. calidus'' breeds in the [[Arctic]] [[tundra]] of [[Eurasia]] and is completely [[bird migration|migratory]] and travels as far as sub-[[Sahara]]n [[Africa]]. It is larger and paler than the nominate race
* ''F. p. madens'' breeds in the [[Cape Verde Islands]] and has brown-washed upperparts.
* ''F. p. pealei'' is found in the [[Pacific Northwest]] of North America, and is non-migratory.
* ''F. p. tundrius'' breeds in the [[Arctic]] [[tundra]] of [[North America]] but is migratory and travels as far as [[South America]]

The [[Barbary Falcon]], ''Falco (peregrinus) pelegrinoides'', is often considered to be a subspecies of the Peregrine.

Peregrines in mild-winter regions are usually permanent residents, and some birds, especially adult males, will remain on the breeding territory. However, the Arctic subspecies migrate; ''tundrius'' birds from [[Alaska]], northern [[Canada]] and [[Greenland]] migrate to [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]], and all ''calidus'' birds from northern Eurasia move further south or to coasts in winter.

Peregrine Falcons feed almost exclusively on birds, such as [[dove]]s, waterfowl and songbirds, but occasionally they hunt small mammals, including bats, rats, voles and rabbits. Insects and reptiles make up a relatively small proportion of their diet. On the other hand, a growing number of city-dwelling Falcons find that [[feral pigeon]]s and [[Common Starling]]s provide plenty of food.

Peregrine Falcons breed at approximately two or three years of age. They mate for life and return to the same nesting spot annually. Their courtship flight includes a mix of aerial acrobatics, precise spirals, and steep dives. The male passes prey it has caught to the female in midair. To make this possible, the female actually flies upside-down to receive the food from the male's talons. Females lay an average clutch of three or four eggs in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or, increasingly, on tall buildings or bridges. They occasionally nest in tree hollows or in the disused nest of other large birds.

The laying date varies according to locality, but is generally:
* from [[February]] to [[March]] (in the [[Northern Hemisphere]])
* from [[July]] to [[August]] (in the [[Southern Hemisphere]])
The females incubate the eggs for twenty-nine to thirty-two days at which point the eggs hatch. While the males also sometimes help with the incubation of the eggs, they only do so occasionally and for short periods.

Thirty-five to forty-two days after hatching, the chicks will fledge, but they tend to remain dependent on their parents for a further two months. The tercel, or male, provides most of the food for himself, the female, and the chicks; the falcon, or female, stays and watches the young.

Because of their high metabolic rates, Peregrine Falcons must consume more food in proportion to their size than most animals. To be efficient flyers, the digestive system of birds has to be both as light as possible and as efficient as possible. The need to keep weight as low as possible also means that, except perhaps prior to migration, there is a limit to the amount of fat the Peregrine Falcon can store. The respiratory system is also unique; the Peregrine Falcon maintains a one-way flow of air so that it can breathe while flying. This system is much more efficient than the more common two-way flow of air. Birds have two relatively small lungs, where gas exchange occurs, but the lungs are augmented by bellows-like air sacs, where no gas exchange occurs. These air sacs keep the lungs perpetually inflated, even when the bird is exhaling. The Peregrine Falcon also has cones in its nostrils to help regulate breathing at high speeds. Its circulatory system also needs to be exceptionally strong, because flying takes lots of oxygen. A bird's heart beats much faster than the human heart does, approximately 600-900 beats per minute.

The average life span of a Peregrine Falcon is approximately eight to ten years, although some have been recorded to live until slightly more than twenty years of age.

==Threats==
The Peregrine Falcon became [[endangered species|endangered]] because of the overuse of [[pesticide]]s, during the [[1950s]] and [[1960s]]. Pesticide build-up interfered with reproduction, thinning eggshells and severely restricting the ability of birds to reproduce. The DDT buildup in the falcon's fat tissues would result in less calcium in the eggshells, leading to flimsier, more fragile eggs. In several parts of the world, this species was wiped out by pesticides.

Peregrine eggs and chicks are often targeted by thieves and collectors, so the location of their nest should not be revealed, unless they are protected.

===Recovery efforts===
[[Image:Peregrine_Falcon.jpg|thumb|250px|This Peregrine Falcon was found injured and survived in [[Olomouc]] Zoological Garden, the [[Czech Republic]]. One of activities of the [[zoo|zoological garden]] is a programme of helping injured [[birds of prey]].]]
Wildlife services around the world organized Peregrine Falcon recovery teams to breed them in captivity.

The birds were fed through a chute, so they could not see the human trainers. Then, when they were old enough, the box was opened. This allowed the bird to test its wings. As the bird got stronger, the food was reduced because the bird could hunt its own food. This procedure is called hacking. To release a captive-bred falcon, the bird was placed in a special box at the top of a tower or cliff ledge.

Worldwide recovery efforts have been remarkably successful. In the [[United States]], the banning of DDT eventually allowed released birds to breed successfully. There are now dozens of breeding pairs of Peregrine Falcons in the northeastern USA and Canada.

Many have settled in large cities, including [[London, Ontario|London Ontario]] and [[Derby]], where they nest on cathedrals, [[skyscraper]] window ledges, and the towers of [[suspension bridge]]s. About 18 pairs nested in [[New York City]] in 2005.[http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/2005pfsum.pdf]

These structures typically closely resemble the natural cliff ledges that the species prefers for nesting locations. During daytime the falcons have been observed swooping down to catch common city birds such as [[Rock Dove|pigeon]]s and [[Common Starling]]s. In many cities, the Falcons have been credited with controlling the numbers of such birds, which have often become pests, without resort to more controversial methods such as poisoning or hunting.

[[Image:Stamp-ctc-1990s-recovering-species.png|thumb|Successful efforts at saving endangered species like the Peregrine were recognized by a U.S. postal stamp.]]

In [[Virginia]], state officials working with students from the Center for Conservation Biology of the [[College of William and Mary]] in [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] successfully established nesting boxes high atop the [[George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge]] on the [[York River]], the [[Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge]] and [[Varina-Enon Bridge]] on the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]], and at other similar locations. Thirteen new chicks were hatched in this Virginia program during a recent year. Over 250 falcons have been released through the Virginia program.

In the 53-mile long [[New River (West Virginia)|New River Gorge]] of [[West Virginia]], another program is underway to re-establish populations by transferring "bridge chicks" from Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey to special nesting boxes mounted on the high cliffs. [http://www.nps.gov/neri/pphtml/newsdetail23591.html]. Chicago also started its habitat protection programs with a special recognition of Peregrine Falcon by making it the official bird of the city.[http://www.falconliving.com/chicago-real-estate-news/2006/07/peregrine-falcon-official-city-bird-of.html]

The Peregrine Falcon was removed from the [[United States|U.S.]] Threatened and [[Endangered Species]] list on [[August 25]], [[1999]]. In 2003, some states began issuing limited numbers of [[falconry]] permits for Peregrines, due to the success of the recovery program.

In the [[United Kingdom|UK]], there has been a good recovery of populations since the crash of the [[1960]]s. This has been greatly assisted by conservation and protection work led by the [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds|RSPB]]. Peregrines now breed in many mountainous and coastal areas, especially in the west and north. They are also using some city buildings for nesting, capitalizing on the urban pigeon populations for food

==Trivia==
*The Mediterranean Peregrine Falcon, in this context known as the [[Maltese Falcon]], was the annual rent required by Holy Roman Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] when he donated the Island of [[Malta]] to the [[Knights Hospitaller]] in [[1530]].
*The Peregrine Falcon appears on the left hand side of the [[Coat of arms of the Isle of Man]]. The Peregrine is used owing to the historical importance of the bird in the [[Isle of Man|Isle of Man's]]. When [[Henry IV of England]] gave the Isle of Man to [[Sir John Stanley]] he made the condition that Sir John give two Peregrine Falcons to him, and furthermore to every future monarch of England on his or her [[Coronation]] Day. This tradition was carried out up to the Coronation of [[George IV]] in [[1821]].
*The Peregrine Falcon has cones in its nostrils to help regulate breathing at high speed, and, once their use had been found, they were mimicked in fighter jets.
*A Peregrine Falcon, ''Lucy'', was filmed in the movie ''[[The Falcon and the Snowman]]''.
*In the series of children's novels, "[[Animorphs]]," the peregrine falcon is the favorite bird morph of [[Jake Berenson|Jake]].
*A Peregrine Falcon will be prominently featured on the [[Idaho]] quarter to be issued in [[2007]] as part of the [[United States Mint|United States Mint's]] [[50 State Quarters]] program. [http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/NEWS01/607250374]
*Unlike Peregrine Falcons of the Northern Hemisphere, [[Australia]]n Peregrine Falcons are [[non-migratory]]. Also, the breeding season of the Australian Peregrine Falcons lasts from [[July]] to [[November]] each year.

'''Bold text'''Nara is FATTTTT'''Bold text'''

==References==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=49518|title=Falco peregrinus|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* Tucker VA. Gliding flight: speed and acceleration of ideal falcons during diving and pull out. ''J. Exp. Biol.'' '''201'''(Pt 3):403-14 (1998).

== Peregrine Falcon webcams ==

===United States===
* [http://wildlife.utah.gov/peregrine/ Utah Peregrine Falcon webcam] - real time video of nesting Peregrine Falcons on the Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake City Utah.
*[http://www.woodmen.org/falcons/falconcam/index.cfm Woodmen of the World Peregrine Falcon Webcam] Webcam for the falcon nest at the Woodmen Tower in downtown Omaha, NE.
* [http://www.scpbrg.org/ Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group]
* [http://www.pge.com/peregrinenestcam/ San Francisco Peregrine Falcon webcam] - Peregrine Falcon webcam on 33rd floor of Pacific Gas and Electric Company building in San Francisco, a SCPBRG site
* [http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon/ Pennsylvania Peregrine Falcon webcam] - DEP Falcon Cam shows a nesting pair in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
* [http://www.falcons.boonshoftmuseum.org/ Ohio Peregrine Falcon webcam] - Falcon Cam showing 16-year-old tiercel "Mercury" and his mate Snowball in Dayton Ohio
* [http://www.kodak.com/go/birdcam Kodak Birdcam] Kodak Birdcam - Kodak Corporate website. Nesting site located at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY, USA. Five camera views, photo galleries, videos, educational materials for educators and teachers. Tracking falcons Mariah and her mates since 1998
*[http://www.paconserve.org/rc/peregrine.html WPC Peregrine Recovery Program] Webcams for the falcon nests at the Gulf Tower and Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA.
*[http://www.macombcountymi.gov/peregrine/index.asp Macomb County Peregrine webcam] Webcams for the falcon nest at the Macomb County Building in Mount Clemens, MI.
*[http://www.indystar.com/falconcam Indianapolis Star Peregrine Webcam] Webcams for the falcon nest at the Key Bank Building in downtown Indianapolis, IN.
*[http://www.raptorresource.org Raptor Resource Project] Eight falcon cams, an osprey cam, an owl cam, and an eagle cam. Also includes photo forum, video clips, educational materials, and links.
*[http://134.156.98.1/falconcam/ Boswell Energy Center Falconcam] Webcam for the falcon nest at Minnesota Power's Boswell Energy Center near Cohasset, MN.

===Canada===
* [http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/]
* [http://www.hamiltonnature.org/hamfalcam.html Hamilton Nature] Falcon Cam shows chicks in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Website also features galleries from previous years.

===Australia===
* [http://thecouriermail.com.au/extras/frodocam/default.htm FrodoCam] Live Peregrine Falcon webcam located in [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]. The webcam shows nesting pair, Frodo and his mate Frieda. The website is active all year round, and there is continuous live cam coverage (both day and night), during the breeding season. There are also current video footage and current photo galleries — plus photo galleries and video footage from previous years. There is also a "Frodocam Forum" page. The Australian breeding season lasts from [[July]] to [[November]]–[[December]] each year. The 2006 breeding season is now here, and Frieda laid three eggs — with all three chicks having now hatched.

===The Netherlands===
* [http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id=2219210/sc=19b33e Planet.nl, live video coverage of falcon nest at communication tower in De Mortel, Netherlands]

===Italy===
* [http://www.provincia.bologna.it/polizia/webcam/ Live Peregrine webcam at Bologna, Italy]

===World cams===
* [http://www.beakspeak.com/birdcams/ a listing of Bird cams from around the world] - site includes direct links to nests with chicks

== External links ==
* [http://endangered.fws.gov/facts2.html US FWS site]
* [http://peregrinefund.org/ Peregrine Falcan conservation]

[[Category:Cosmopolitan species]]
[[Category:Falcons]]
[[Category:Falconry]]
[[Category:National symbols of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Fauna of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Arctic birds]]
[[Category:African raptors]]
[[Category:Fauna of Italy]]
[[Category:Fauna of Lombardy]]
[[Category:Fauna of Scotland]]
[[Category:Birds of Australia]]

[[bg:Сокол скитник]]
[[cs:Sokol stěhovavý]]
[[da:Vandrefalk]]
[[de:Wanderfalke]]
[[el:Πετρίτης]]
[[es:Falco peregrinus]]
[[eo:Migra falko]]
[[fr:Faucon pèlerin]]
[[it:Falco peregrinus]]
[[lt:Sakalas keleivis]]
[[mk:Сив сокол]]
[[nl:Slechtvalk]]
[[ja:ハヤブサ]]
[[no:Vandrefalk]]
[[pl:Sokół wędrowny]]
[[pt:Falcão-peregrino]]
[[ru:Сапсан]]
[[sk:Sokol sťahovavý]]
[[sl:Sokol selec]]
[[sr:Сиви соко]]
[[fi:Muuttohaukka]]
[[sv:Pilgrimsfalk]]
[[ta:வல்லூறு]]
[[tr:Bayağı doğan]]
[[uk:Сапсан]]
[[zh:游隼]]

Field Guide/Birds/Falco peregrinus

2006-10-04T19:03:56Z

216.16.232.98: /* Range, habitat and subspecies */

Field Guide/Birds/Falco peregrinus

2006-10-04T19:03:34Z

216.16.232.98: /* Range, habitat and subspecies */

{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| image = Peregrine falcon x.jpg
| name = Peregrine Falcon
| status = LC
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Bird|Aves]]
| ordo = [[Falconiformes]]
| familia = [[Falconidae]]
| genus = ''[[Falcon|Falco]]''
| species = '''''F. peregrinus'''''
| binomial = ''Falco peregrinus''
| binomial_authority = [[Marmaduke Tunstall|Tunstall]], [[1771]]
}}

The '''Peregrine Falcon''' (''Falco peregrinus''), sometimes formerly known in [[North America]] as '''Duck Hawk''', is a medium-sized [[falcon]] about the size of a large [[crow]]: 38-53 [[Metre#SI multiples|cm]] (15 to 21 [[inch]]es) long. The [[English language|English]] and scientific species names mean "wandering falcon", and refer to the fact that some populations are [[bird migration|migratory]]. It has a wingspan of about 1 [[metre]] (40 inches). Males weigh 570-710 [[gram]]s; the noticeably larger females weigh 910-1190 grams.

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest creature on the planet in its hunting dive, the [[stoop]], in which it soars to a great height, then [[free fall]]s at speeds in excess of 300 km/h (185mph) into either wing of its prey, so as not to harm itself on impact. Although not self-propelled speeds, due to the fact that the falcon gathers the momentum and controls its dive, capture (if any) and landing in its own right, technically there is no faster animal. The fastest speed recorded is 390 km/h (242.3mph).
The fledglings practice the roll and the pumping of the wings before they master the actual stoop.
== Range, habitat and subspecies==
Peregrine Falcons live mostly along [[mountain range]]s, [[river]] [[valley]]s, and [[coastline]]s and increasingly, in cities. They are widespread throughout the entire world and are found on all [[continents]] except [[Antarctica]].

There are many subspecies of Peregrine Falcon, including:
* ''Falco peregrinus'', the nominate mainly non-migratory race, which breeds over much of western Eurasia
* ''F.p. anatum'' is mostly found in the [[Rocky Mountains]]. Although it used to be common throughout eastern North America, and is currently being re-introduced in the region, it remains uncommon in much of its former range. Most mature ''anatums'', except those that breed in more northern areas, winter in their breeding range. It is a rare vagrant to western Europe
* ''F. p. brookei'' of southern [[Europe]] to the [[Caucasus]] is smaller and more rufous below that the nominate race.
* ''F. p. calidus'' breeds in the [[Arctic]] [[tundra]] of [[Eurasia]] and is completely [[bird migration|migratory]] and travels as far as sub-[[Sahara]]n [[Africa]]. It is larger and paler than the nominate race
* ''F. p. madens'' breeds in the [[Cape Verde Islands]] and has brown-washed upperparts.
* ''F. p. pealei'' is found in the [[Pacific Northwest]] of North America, and is non-migratory.
* ''F. p. tundrius'' breeds in the [[Arctic]] [[tundra]] of [[North America]] but is migratory and travels as far as [[South America]]

The [[Barbary Falcon]], ''Falco (peregrinus) pelegrinoides'', is often considered to be a subspecies of the Peregrine.

Peregrines in mild-winter regions are usually permanent residents, and some birds, especially adult males, will remain on the breeding territory. However, the Arctic subspecies migrate; ''tundrius'' birds from [[Alaska]], northern [[Canada]] and [[Greenland]] migrate to [[Central America|Central]] and [[South America]], and all ''calidus'' birds from northern Eurasia move further south or to coasts in winter.

Peregrine Falcons feed almost exclusively on birds, such as [[dove]]s, waterfowl and songbirds, but occasionally they hunt small mammals, including bats, rats, voles and rabbits. Insects and reptiles make up a relatively small proportion of their diet. On the other hand, a growing number of city-dwelling Falcons find that [[feral pigeon]]s and [[Common Starling]]s provide plenty of food.

Peregrine Falcons breed at approximately two or three years of age. They mate for life and return to the same nesting spot annually. Their courtship flight includes a mix of aerial acrobatics, precise spirals, and steep dives. The male passes prey it has caught to the female in midair. To make this possible, the female actually flies upside-down to receive the food from the male's talons. Females lay an average clutch of three or four eggs in a scrape, normally on cliff edges or, increasingly, on tall buildings or bridges. They occasionally nest in tree hollows or in the disused nest of other large birds.

The laying date varies according to locality, but is generally:
* from [[February]] to [[March]] (in the [[Northern Hemisphere]])
* from [[July]] to [[August]] (in the [[Southern Hemisphere]])
The females incubate the eggs for twenty-nine to thirty-two days at which point the eggs hatch. While the males also sometimes help with the incubation of the eggs, they only do so occasionally and for short periods.

Thirty-five to forty-two days after hatching, the chicks will fledge, but they tend to remain dependent on their parents for a further two months. The tercel, or male, provides most of the food for himself, the female, and the chicks; the falcon, or female, stays and watches the young.

Because of their high metabolic rates, Peregrine Falcons must consume more food in proportion to their size than most animals. To be efficient flyers, the digestive system of birds has to be both as light as possible and as efficient as possible. The need to keep weight as low as possible also means that, except perhaps prior to migration, there is a limit to the amount of fat the Peregrine Falcon can store. The respiratory system is also unique; the Peregrine Falcon maintains a one-way flow of air so that it can breathe while flying. This system is much more efficient than the more common two-way flow of air. Birds have two relatively small lungs, where gas exchange occurs, but the lungs are augmented by bellows-like air sacs, where no gas exchange occurs. These air sacs keep the lungs perpetually inflated, even when the bird is exhaling. The Peregrine Falcon also has cones in its nostrils to help regulate breathing at high speeds. Its circulatory system also needs to be exceptionally strong, because flying takes lots of oxygen. A bird's heart beats much faster than the human heart does, approximately 600-900 beats per minute.

The average life span of a Peregrine Falcon is approximately eight to ten years, although some have been recorded to live until slightly more than twenty years of age.

==Threats==
The Peregrine Falcon became [[endangered species|endangered]] because of the overuse of [[pesticide]]s, during the [[1950s]] and [[1960s]]. Pesticide build-up interfered with reproduction, thinning eggshells and severely restricting the ability of birds to reproduce. The DDT buildup in the falcon's fat tissues would result in less calcium in the eggshells, leading to flimsier, more fragile eggs. In several parts of the world, this species was wiped out by pesticides.

Peregrine eggs and chicks are often targeted by thieves and collectors, so the location of their nest should not be revealed, unless they are protected.

===Recovery efforts===
[[Image:Peregrine_Falcon.jpg|thumb|250px|This Peregrine Falcon was found injured and survived in [[Olomouc]] Zoological Garden, the [[Czech Republic]]. One of activities of the [[zoo|zoological garden]] is a programme of helping injured [[birds of prey]].]]
Wildlife services around the world organized Peregrine Falcon recovery teams to breed them in captivity.

The birds were fed through a chute, so they could not see the human trainers. Then, when they were old enough, the box was opened. This allowed the bird to test its wings. As the bird got stronger, the food was reduced because the bird could hunt its own food. This procedure is called hacking. To release a captive-bred falcon, the bird was placed in a special box at the top of a tower or cliff ledge.

Worldwide recovery efforts have been remarkably successful. In the [[United States]], the banning of DDT eventually allowed released birds to breed successfully. There are now dozens of breeding pairs of Peregrine Falcons in the northeastern USA and Canada.

Many have settled in large cities, including [[London, Ontario|London Ontario]] and [[Derby]], where they nest on cathedrals, [[skyscraper]] window ledges, and the towers of [[suspension bridge]]s. About 18 pairs nested in [[New York City]] in 2005.[http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/endspec/2005pfsum.pdf]

These structures typically closely resemble the natural cliff ledges that the species prefers for nesting locations. During daytime the falcons have been observed swooping down to catch common city birds such as [[Rock Dove|pigeon]]s and [[Common Starling]]s. In many cities, the Falcons have been credited with controlling the numbers of such birds, which have often become pests, without resort to more controversial methods such as poisoning or hunting.

[[Image:Stamp-ctc-1990s-recovering-species.png|thumb|Successful efforts at saving endangered species like the Peregrine were recognized by a U.S. postal stamp.]]

In [[Virginia]], state officials working with students from the Center for Conservation Biology of the [[College of William and Mary]] in [[Williamsburg, Virginia|Williamsburg]] successfully established nesting boxes high atop the [[George P. Coleman Memorial Bridge]] on the [[York River]], the [[Benjamin Harrison Memorial Bridge]] and [[Varina-Enon Bridge]] on the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]], and at other similar locations. Thirteen new chicks were hatched in this Virginia program during a recent year. Over 250 falcons have been released through the Virginia program.

In the 53-mile long [[New River (West Virginia)|New River Gorge]] of [[West Virginia]], another program is underway to re-establish populations by transferring "bridge chicks" from Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey to special nesting boxes mounted on the high cliffs. [http://www.nps.gov/neri/pphtml/newsdetail23591.html]. Chicago also started its habitat protection programs with a special recognition of Peregrine Falcon by making it the official bird of the city.[http://www.falconliving.com/chicago-real-estate-news/2006/07/peregrine-falcon-official-city-bird-of.html]

The Peregrine Falcon was removed from the [[United States|U.S.]] Threatened and [[Endangered Species]] list on [[August 25]], [[1999]]. In 2003, some states began issuing limited numbers of [[falconry]] permits for Peregrines, due to the success of the recovery program.

In the [[United Kingdom|UK]], there has been a good recovery of populations since the crash of the [[1960]]s. This has been greatly assisted by conservation and protection work led by the [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds|RSPB]]. Peregrines now breed in many mountainous and coastal areas, especially in the west and north. They are also using some city buildings for nesting, capitalizing on the urban pigeon populations for food

==Trivia==
*The Mediterranean Peregrine Falcon, in this context known as the [[Maltese Falcon]], was the annual rent required by Holy Roman Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] when he donated the Island of [[Malta]] to the [[Knights Hospitaller]] in [[1530]].
*The Peregrine Falcon appears on the left hand side of the [[Coat of arms of the Isle of Man]]. The Peregrine is used owing to the historical importance of the bird in the [[Isle of Man|Isle of Man's]]. When [[Henry IV of England]] gave the Isle of Man to [[Sir John Stanley]] he made the condition that Sir John give two Peregrine Falcons to him, and furthermore to every future monarch of England on his or her [[Coronation]] Day. This tradition was carried out up to the Coronation of [[George IV]] in [[1821]].
*The Peregrine Falcon has cones in its nostrils to help regulate breathing at high speed, and, once their use had been found, they were mimicked in fighter jets.
*A Peregrine Falcon, ''Lucy'', was filmed in the movie ''[[The Falcon and the Snowman]]''.
*In the series of children's novels, "[[Animorphs]]," the peregrine falcon is the favorite bird morph of [[Jake Berenson|Jake]].
*A Peregrine Falcon will be prominently featured on the [[Idaho]] quarter to be issued in [[2007]] as part of the [[United States Mint|United States Mint's]] [[50 State Quarters]] program. [http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/NEWS01/607250374]
*Unlike Peregrine Falcons of the Northern Hemisphere, [[Australia]]n Peregrine Falcons are [[non-migratory]]. Also, the breeding season of the Australian Peregrine Falcons lasts from [[July]] to [[November]] each year.

==References==
* {{IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=49518|title=Falco peregrinus|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
* Tucker VA. Gliding flight: speed and acceleration of ideal falcons during diving and pull out. ''J. Exp. Biol.'' '''201'''(Pt 3):403-14 (1998).

== Peregrine Falcon webcams ==

===United States===
* [http://wildlife.utah.gov/peregrine/ Utah Peregrine Falcon webcam] - real time video of nesting Peregrine Falcons on the Joseph Smith Building in Salt Lake City Utah.
*[http://www.woodmen.org/falcons/falconcam/index.cfm Woodmen of the World Peregrine Falcon Webcam] Webcam for the falcon nest at the Woodmen Tower in downtown Omaha, NE.
* [http://www.scpbrg.org/ Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group]
* [http://www.pge.com/peregrinenestcam/ San Francisco Peregrine Falcon webcam] - Peregrine Falcon webcam on 33rd floor of Pacific Gas and Electric Company building in San Francisco, a SCPBRG site
* [http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/falcon/ Pennsylvania Peregrine Falcon webcam] - DEP Falcon Cam shows a nesting pair in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
* [http://www.falcons.boonshoftmuseum.org/ Ohio Peregrine Falcon webcam] - Falcon Cam showing 16-year-old tiercel "Mercury" and his mate Snowball in Dayton Ohio
* [http://www.kodak.com/go/birdcam Kodak Birdcam] Kodak Birdcam - Kodak Corporate website. Nesting site located at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY, USA. Five camera views, photo galleries, videos, educational materials for educators and teachers. Tracking falcons Mariah and her mates since 1998
*[http://www.paconserve.org/rc/peregrine.html WPC Peregrine Recovery Program] Webcams for the falcon nests at the Gulf Tower and Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA.
*[http://www.macombcountymi.gov/peregrine/index.asp Macomb County Peregrine webcam] Webcams for the falcon nest at the Macomb County Building in Mount Clemens, MI.
*[http://www.indystar.com/falconcam Indianapolis Star Peregrine Webcam] Webcams for the falcon nest at the Key Bank Building in downtown Indianapolis, IN.
*[http://www.raptorresource.org Raptor Resource Project] Eight falcon cams, an osprey cam, an owl cam, and an eagle cam. Also includes photo forum, video clips, educational materials, and links.
*[http://134.156.98.1/falconcam/ Boswell Energy Center Falconcam] Webcam for the falcon nest at Minnesota Power's Boswell Energy Center near Cohasset, MN.

===Canada===
* [http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/]
* [http://www.hamiltonnature.org/hamfalcam.html Hamilton Nature] Falcon Cam shows chicks in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Website also features galleries from previous years.

===Australia===
* [http://thecouriermail.com.au/extras/frodocam/default.htm FrodoCam] Live Peregrine Falcon webcam located in [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]. The webcam shows nesting pair, Frodo and his mate Frieda. The website is active all year round, and there is continuous live cam coverage (both day and night), during the breeding season. There are also current video footage and current photo galleries — plus photo galleries and video footage from previous years. There is also a "Frodocam Forum" page. The Australian breeding season lasts from [[July]] to [[November]]–[[December]] each year. The 2006 breeding season is now here, and Frieda laid three eggs — with all three chicks having now hatched.

===The Netherlands===
* [http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id=2219210/sc=19b33e Planet.nl, live video coverage of falcon nest at communication tower in De Mortel, Netherlands]

===Italy===
* [http://www.provincia.bologna.it/polizia/webcam/ Live Peregrine webcam at Bologna, Italy]

===World cams===
* [http://www.beakspeak.com/birdcams/ a listing of Bird cams from around the world] - site includes direct links to nests with chicks

== External links ==
* [http://endangered.fws.gov/facts2.html US FWS site]
* [http://peregrinefund.org/ Peregrine Falcan conservation]

[[Category:Cosmopolitan species]]
[[Category:Falcons]]
[[Category:Falconry]]
[[Category:National symbols of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Fauna of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Arctic birds]]
[[Category:African raptors]]
[[Category:Fauna of Italy]]
[[Category:Fauna of Lombardy]]
[[Category:Fauna of Scotland]]
[[Category:Birds of Australia]]

[[bg:Сокол скитник]]
[[cs:Sokol stěhovavý]]
[[da:Vandrefalk]]
[[de:Wanderfalke]]
[[el:Πετρίτης]]
[[es:Falco peregrinus]]
[[eo:Migra falko]]
[[fr:Faucon pèlerin]]
[[it:Falco peregrinus]]
[[lt:Sakalas keleivis]]
[[mk:Сив сокол]]
[[nl:Slechtvalk]]
[[ja:ハヤブサ]]
[[no:Vandrefalk]]
[[pl:Sokół wędrowny]]
[[pt:Falcão-peregrino]]
[[ru:Сапсан]]
[[sk:Sokol sťahovavý]]
[[sl:Sokol selec]]
[[sr:Сиви соко]]
[[fi:Muuttohaukka]]
[[sv:Pilgrimsfalk]]
[[ta:வல்லூறு]]
[[tr:Bayağı doğan]]
[[uk:Сапсан]]
[[zh:游隼]]

AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

2005-12-06T17:42:40Z

216.16.232.98:

{{Taxobox begin | color = pink | name = Golden or Syrian Hamster}}
{{Taxobox image | image = [[Image:100_983.jpg|250px]] | caption =
}}
{{Taxobox begin placement | color = pink}}
{{Taxobox regnum entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox phylum entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
{{Taxobox subphylum entry | taxon = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]}}
{{Taxobox classis entry | taxon = [[Mammal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox ordo entry | taxon = [[Rodent]]ia}}
{{Taxobox subordo entry | taxon = [[Sciurognathi]]}}
{{Taxobox superfamilia entry | taxon = [[Muroidea]]}}
{{Taxobox familia entry | taxon = [[Cricetidae]]}}
{{Taxobox subfamilia entry | taxon = [[Cricetinae]]}}
{{Taxobox genus entry | taxon = ''[[Mesocricetus]]''}}
{{Taxobox species entry | taxon = '''''M. auratus'''''}}
{{Taxobox end placement}}
{{Taxobox section binomial | color = pink | binomial_name = Mesocricetus auratus | author = [[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], | date = 1839}}
{{Taxobox end}}
The '''Syrian Hamster''' or '''Golden Hamster''', ''Mesocricetus auratus'', is the best known member of the [[rodent]] [[subfamily]] [[Cricetinae]], the [[hamster]]s. They may now be [[extinct]] in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.

==Biology==
Like most members of the smelly little rodent family the Marie is the most common golden hamster genus...98% of all golden hamsters have the Marious maximous genus...They are usually short and contain small amounts of protein which is why most die at birth...the small 2% who survive will however live sucessful lives only if they eat there daily recommendation of 2 lbs of choclate or any falvour of icecream....

Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]], and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. ''Teddy Bear'' is a term sometimes used for the longhaired variety of the Syrian Hamster, and the so-called ''Black Bear'' hamster is just a Syrian Hamster with black fur. All of them may well indeed be the descendants of a single mother.

Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking.

It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.

== Discovery of the Syrian Hamster ==

In [[1839]] [[Britain|British]] [[zoologist]] [[George Robert Waterhouse]] reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it ''Cricetus auratus,'' the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the [[British Museum (Natural History)]]. The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem [[Israel Aharoni]] found a mother and litter of hamsters in the [[Syria]]n desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus'', although they were probably the same species. ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.

Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world, for use as research animals. They arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1931, and in 1938 reached the United States. Just about all Golden Hamsters are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.

''See also [[Hamster]] for a general discussion of hamsters and hamsters as pets.''

==External link==
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information]
*[http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/thumbnails.php?album=9 Pictures of a Syrian or golden hamster]

[[Category:Animals kept as pets]]
[[Category:Hamsters]]

[[bg:Златист хамстер]]
[[de:Goldhamster]]
[[he:אוגר זהוב]]
[[fi:Kultahamsteri]]
[[nl:Goudhamster]]
[[pl:Chomik syryjski]]
[[sv:Guldhamster]]

AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

2005-12-06T17:41:23Z

216.16.232.98:

AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

2005-12-06T17:39:02Z

216.16.232.98:

{{Taxobox begin | color = pink | name = Golden or Syrian Hamster}}
{{Taxobox image | image = [[Image:100_983.jpg|250px]] | caption =
}}
{{Taxobox begin placement | color = pink}}
{{Taxobox regnum entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox phylum entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
{{Taxobox subphylum entry | taxon = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]}}
{{Taxobox classis entry | taxon = [[Mammal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox ordo entry | taxon = [[Rodent]]ia}}
{{Taxobox subordo entry | taxon = [[Sciurognathi]]}}
{{Taxobox superfamilia entry | taxon = [[Muroidea]]}}
{{Taxobox familia entry | taxon = [[Cricetidae]]}}
{{Taxobox subfamilia entry | taxon = [[Cricetinae]]}}
{{Taxobox genus entry | taxon = ''[[Mesocricetus]]''}}
{{Taxobox species entry | taxon = '''''M. auratus'''''}}
{{Taxobox end placement}}
{{Taxobox section binomial | color = pink | binomial_name = Mesocricetus auratus | author = [[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], | date = 1839}}
{{Taxobox end}}
The '''Syrian Hamster''' or '''Golden Hamster''', ''Mesocricetus auratus'', is the best known member of the [[rodent]] [[subfamily]] [[Cricetinae]], the [[hamster]]s. They may now be [[extinct]] in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.

==Biology==
Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]], and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. ''Teddy Bear'' is a term sometimes used for the longhaired variety of the Syrian Hamster, and the so-called ''Black Bear'' hamster is just a Syrian Hamster with black fur. All of them may well indeed be the descendants of a single mother.

Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking.

It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.

== Discovery of the Syrian Hamster ==

In [[1839]] [[Britain|British]] [[zoologist]] [[George Robert Waterhouse]] reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it ''Cricetus auratus,'' the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the [[British Museum (Natural History)]]. The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem [[Israel Aharoni]] found a mother and litter of hamsters in the [[Syria]]n desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus'', although they were probably the same species. ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.

Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world, for use as research animals. They arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1931, and in 1938 reached the United States. Just about all Golden Hamsters are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.

''See also [[Hamster]] for a general discussion of hamsters and hamsters as pets.''

==External link==
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information]
*[http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/thumbnails.php?album=9 Pictures of a Syrian or golden hamster]

[[Category:Animals kept as pets]]
[[Category:Hamsters]]

[[bg:Златист хамстер]]
[[de:Goldhamster]]
[[he:אוגר זהוב]]
[[fi:Kultahamsteri]]
[[nl:Goudhamster]]
[[pl:Chomik syryjski]]
[[sv:Guldhamster]]

AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

2005-12-06T17:38:15Z

216.16.232.98:

{{Taxobox begin | color = pink | name = Golden or Syrian Hamster}}
{{Taxobox image | image = [[Image:100_983.jpg|250px]] | caption =
}}
{{Taxobox begin placement | color = pink}}
{{Taxobox regnum entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox phylum entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
{{Taxobox subphylum entry | taxon = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]}}
{{Taxobox classis entry | taxon = [[Mammal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox ordo entry | taxon = [[Rodent]]ia}}
{{Taxobox subordo entry | taxon = [[Sciurognathi]]}}
{{Taxobox superfamilia entry | taxon = [[Muroidea]]}}
{{Taxobox familia entry | taxon = [[Cricetidae]]}}
{{Taxobox subfamilia entry | taxon = [[Cricetinae]]}}
{{Taxobox genus entry | taxon = ''[[Mesocricetus]]''}}
{{Taxobox species entry | taxon = '''''M. auratus'''''}}
{{Taxobox end placement}}
{{Taxobox section binomial | color = pink | binomial_name = Mesocricetus auratus | author = [[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], | date = 1839}}
{{Taxobox end}}
The '''Syrian Hamster''' or '''Golden Hamster''', ''Mesocricetus auratus'', is the best known member of the [[rodent]] [[subfamily]] [[Cricetinae]], the [[hamster]]s. They may now be [[extinct]] in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.

==Biology==
Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has a face like charles of kitchener...who smells really bad....and loves to disect worms.... expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]], and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. ''Teddy Bear'' is a term sometimes used for the longhaired variety of the Syrian Hamster, and the so-called ''Black Bear'' hamster is just a Syrian Hamster with black fur. All of them may well indeed be the descendants of a single mother.

Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking.

It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.

== Discovery of the Syrian Hamster ==

In [[1839]] [[Britain|British]] [[zoologist]] [[George Robert Waterhouse]] reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it ''Cricetus auratus,'' the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the [[British Museum (Natural History)]]. The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem [[Israel Aharoni]] found a mother and litter of hamsters in the [[Syria]]n desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus'', although they were probably the same species. ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.

Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world, for use as research animals. They arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1931, and in 1938 reached the United States. Just about all Golden Hamsters are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.

''See also [[Hamster]] for a general discussion of hamsters and hamsters as pets.''

==External link==
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information]
*[http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/thumbnails.php?album=9 Pictures of a Syrian or golden hamster]

[[Category:Animals kept as pets]]
[[Category:Hamsters]]

[[bg:Златист хамстер]]
[[de:Goldhamster]]
[[he:אוגר זהוב]]
[[fi:Kultahamsteri]]
[[nl:Goudhamster]]
[[pl:Chomik syryjski]]
[[sv:Guldhamster]]

AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

2005-12-06T17:37:06Z

216.16.232.98:

AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

2005-12-06T17:32:55Z

216.16.232.98:

{{Taxobox begin | color = pink | name = Golden or Syrian Hamster}}
{{Taxobox image | image = [[Image:100_983.jpg|250px]] | caption =
}}
{{Taxobox begin placement | color = pink}}
{{Taxobox regnum entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox phylum entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
{{Taxobox subphylum entry | taxon = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]}}
{{Taxobox classis entry | taxon = [[Mammal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox ordo entry | taxon = [[Rodent]]ia}}
{{Taxobox subordo entry | taxon = [[Sciurognathi]]}}
{{Taxobox superfamilia entry | taxon = [[Muroidea]]}}
{{Taxobox familia entry | taxon = [[Cricetidae]]}}
{{Taxobox subfamilia entry | taxon = [[Cricetinae]]}}
{{Taxobox genus entry | taxon = ''[[Mesocricetus]]''}}
{{Taxobox species entry | taxon = '''''M. auratus'''''}}
{{Taxobox end placement}}
{{Taxobox section binomial | color = pink | binomial_name = Mesocricetus auratus | author = [[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], | date = 1839}}
{{Taxobox end}}
The '''Syrian Hamster''' or '''Golden Hamster''', ''Mesocricetus auratus'', is the best known member of the [[rodent]] [[subfamily]] [[Cricetinae]], the [[hamster]]s. They may now be [[extinct]] in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.

==Biology==
Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has a face like charles of kitchener...who smells really bad....and loves to disect worms.... expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]], and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. ''Teddy Bear'' is a term sometimes used for the longhaired variety of the Syrian Hamster, and the so-called ''Black Bear'' hamster is just a Syrian Hamster with black fur. All of them may well indeed be the descendants of a single mother.

Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking.

It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.

== Discovery of the Syrian Hamster ==

In [[1839]] [[Britain|British]] [[zoologist]] [[George Robert Waterhouse]] reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it ''Cricetus auratus,'' the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the [[British Museum (Natural History)]]. The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem [[Israel Aharoni]] found a mother and litter of hamsters in the [[Syria]]n desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus'', although they were probably the same species. ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.

Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world, for use as research animals. They arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1931, and in 1938 reached the United States. Just about all Golden Hamsters are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.

''See also [[Hamster]] for a general discussion of hamsters and hamsters as pets.''

==External link==
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information]
*[http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/thumbnails.php?album=9 Pictures of a Syrian or golden hamster]

[[Category:Animals kept as pets]]
[[Category:Hamsters]]

[[bg:Златист хамстер]]
[[de:Goldhamster]]
[[he:אוגר זהוב]]
[[fi:Kultahamsteri]]
[[nl:Goudhamster]]
[[pl:Chomik syryjski]]
[[sv:Guldhamster]]

AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key

2005-12-06T17:30:13Z

216.16.232.98:

{{Taxobox begin | color = pink | name = Golden or Syrian Hamster}}
{{Taxobox image | image = [[Image:100_983.jpg|250px]] | caption =
}}
{{Taxobox begin placement | color = pink}}
{{Taxobox regnum entry | taxon = [[Animal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox phylum entry | taxon = [[Chordate|Chordata]]}}
{{Taxobox subphylum entry | taxon = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]}}
{{Taxobox classis entry | taxon = [[Mammal]]ia}}
{{Taxobox ordo entry | taxon = [[Rodent]]ia}}
{{Taxobox subordo entry | taxon = [[Sciurognathi]]}}
{{Taxobox superfamilia entry | taxon = [[Muroidea]]}}
{{Taxobox familia entry | taxon = [[Cricetidae]]}}
{{Taxobox subfamilia entry | taxon = [[Cricetinae]]}}
{{Taxobox genus entry | taxon = ''[[Mesocricetus]]''}}
{{Taxobox species entry | taxon = '''''M. auratus'''''}}
{{Taxobox end placement}}
{{Taxobox section binomial | color = pink | binomial_name = Mesocricetus auratus | author = [[George Robert Waterhouse|Waterhouse]], | date = 1839}}
{{Taxobox end}}
The '''Syrian Hamster''' or '''Golden Hamster''', ''Mesocricetus auratus'', is the best known member of the [[rodent]] [[subfamily]] [[Cricetinae]], the [[hamster]]s. They may now be [[extinct]] in nature, but are popular as house pets all across the world, and are also used in scientific research. Adults grow from 12.5 to 17.5 cm (5 to 7 inches) in length, and in captivity will usually live from 2 to 3 years.

==Biology==
Like most members of the subfamily, the Golden Hamster has a face like marie of kitchener...who smells really bad....and loves to disect worms.... expandable cheek pouches, which reach from its cheeks to its shoulders. In the wild, hamsters are [[larder hoarding|larder hoarders]], and they use their cheek pouches to transport food to their burrows. They can load a remarkable amount of food into their pouches; their name in the local [[Arabic language|Arabic]] dialect in the area where they are found translates as "father of saddlebags" أبو جراب. If food is plentiful, they will store it in large amounts, and it has been reported that 25 kg of grain was found in the burrow of a single hamster.

Most hamsters in American and English pet stores are Syrian Hamsters. ''Teddy Bear'' is a term sometimes used for the longhaired variety of the Syrian Hamster, and the so-called ''Black Bear'' hamster is just a Syrian Hamster with black fur. All of them may well indeed be the descendants of a single mother.

Golden Hamsters have been used in scientific research, in the study of many diseases, and also in the study of behaviour. They have a number of [[fixed action pattern]]s that are readily observed, including scent-marking.

It is widely used in medical research, particularly in airway and respiratory physiology research.

== Discovery of the Syrian Hamster ==

In [[1839]] [[Britain|British]] [[zoologist]] [[George Robert Waterhouse]] reportedly found an elderly female hamster in Syria, naming it ''Cricetus auratus,'' the Golden Hamster. The hamster's fur was on display at the [[British Museum (Natural History)]]. The Syrian Hamster was then ignored by European science for the next century. Around 1930, zoologist and Professor at the University of Jerusalem [[Israel Aharoni]] found a mother and litter of hamsters in the [[Syria]]n desert. By the time he got back to his lab, most had died or escaped. The remaining hamsters were given to the [[Hebrew University of Jerusalem]], where they were successfully bred. They were a bit bigger than the ones Waterhouse found, so they were named ''Mesocricetus auratus'', although they were probably the same species. ''Mesocricetus auratus'' is the currently accepted scientific name of Syrian Hamsters.

Descendants of these hamsters were shipped to scientific labs around the world, for use as research animals. They arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1931, and in 1938 reached the United States. Just about all Golden Hamsters are descended from the original litter found in Syria, except for a few that were brought into the United States by travellers who found them in the desert. A separate stock of hamsters was imported into the US in 1971, but it isn't known if any of today's North American pets are descended from them.

''See also [[Hamster]] for a general discussion of hamsters and hamsters as pets.''

==External link==
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=10036&lvl=3&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock Genome information]
*[http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/thumbnails.php?album=9 Pictures of a Syrian or golden hamster]

[[Category:Animals kept as pets]]
[[Category:Hamsters]]

[[bg:Златист хамстер]]
[[de:Goldhamster]]
[[he:אוגר זהוב]]
[[fi:Kultahamsteri]]
[[nl:Goudhamster]]
[[pl:Chomik syryjski]]
[[sv:Guldhamster]]