The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom . According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph). Its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds, the peregrine will occasionally hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects.
The energy of the stoop allows the falcon to catch fast flying birds, and to deliver a knock out blow with a fist-like clenched talon against game that may be much larger than itself. These amazing birds are used for hunting handled by falconers, they are also used to scare birds from airports.
Carving one of the most aggressive hunters in the sky, the goal was to capture its beauty yet showing attitude. Made from one piece of tupelo with copper legs covered with an epoxy compound. This creation took 65 hours to carve and another 5 hours to pick the natural stone from a quarry in New Hampshire.
