Other species which can be mistaken for Peregrines in Barcelona
The Peregrine can be mistaken in the city of Barcelona with two species of birds with similar flight silhouettes:
Peregrine Falcon
Kestrel
Swift
Click on the drawings to expand
1. The swift (Apus apus):
Migratory bird which arrives in April from Africa. At a distance jet black but close up is slate grey in colour. Wings are highly arched, thin and pointed, with a span of 40-44 cm. Very short legs. Breeds in holes in walls and under old roof tiles. In June and July swift fledglings are frequently found on the floor, having fallen out of their nests, capable of flight but unable to fly owing to their inexperience and also because of the length of their wings which they drag along the floor.
2. The kestrel (Falco tinnunculus):
Belongs to the same family as the Peregrine but is different in size and colour. Smaller than the Peregrine, its wing span is 68-78 cm compared to the 70-115 cm of Peregrine. Roof-tile red plumage with black spots marks it easily apart from greyish or blackish plumage of Peregrine.
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