Falco peregrinus
- noun
- /ˈfælkoʊ ˌpɛrəˈɡrɪnəs/
- Specialized
:
Falco peregrinus
- The Falco peregrinus is often considered the fastest bird in the world when in a hunting dive.
Examples
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Conservation efforts have helped restore Falco peregrinus populations in many regions.
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In medieval times, Falco peregrinus was highly prized for use in falconry.
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The Falco peregrinus is renowned for its incredible speed during dives.
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Many birdwatchers are excited to spot a Falco peregrinus in the wild.
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In medieval times, Falco peregrinus was highly prized for use in falconry.
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The Falco peregrinus is often considered the fastest bird in the world when in a hunting dive.
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Many birdwatchers are excited to spot a Falco peregrinus in the wild.
Synonyms
5
9.1
A large fast falcon that dives at high speed to catch prey
3
5.5
A large fast bird of prey that dives to catch other birds
Surface Forms
Morphology
Falco + peregrinus
This is a Linnaean binomial combining the genus name 'Falco' (a genus of falcons) with a specific epithet; a learner who knows the constituents will recognise it as the scientific name for a particular falcon species. While fine-grained attributes like its speed or falconry history are not recoverable from the parts, the core meaning 'a species of falcon' is transparently compositional and follows a cross-linguistically familiar taxonomic convention.
Etymology
Falco peregrinus comes from old Latin words: Falco means the 'falcon', a hunting bird, and peregrinus means a 'traveler' or 'foreigner' because these birds fly long distances and were often seen far from home. So the name fits the fast, wide-ranging bird long used in falconry.