Peregrine Falcon returns to Cathedral spire

The Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird in the world, has returned to his perch atop the dizzying heights of Mullingar Cathedral.

Peregrines traditionally breed in rugged uplands and coastal cliffs, but the species which has been making a slow and steady return to Ireland, are more and more moving into buildings and quarries.

The Peregrine Falcon is undoubtedly one of Ireland's most impressive birds, believed to reach speeds of up to 180 mph as it plummets earthward, before levelling off slightly and striking its prey with outstretched talons.

In the summer months peregrines can be seen around coastal cliffs, mountain crags and inland quarries on which they breed, but in winter return to their favourite hunting grounds. In this case, the spires of Christ the Kind Cathedral in Mullingar.

Peregrine populations were severely affected by the widespread use of organochlorine pesticides like DDT during the 1950’s and 60’s.

Peregrines would then eat numerous contaminated birds, resulting in a further concentration of the pesticide in the falcons.

While not always lethal to the adult birds, these high concentrations of pesticide would render them sterile or caused them to lay very brittle eggs that shattered under the weight of the female as she tried to incubate them.

Peregrine numbers plummeted to dangerously low levels.

But since the 1970’s a ban on these pesticides has allowed peregrine populations to slowly recover across much of their northern European range.

Between April and June the female lays three to four buff-coloured eggs with red speckles on the nest site. During the winter months peregrine numbers increase considerably as birds from further north in their range visit Ireland, following their migratory prey species south.

For many people the winter months offer the best chance of spotting a peregrine, and all we have to look up to the skies for a chance to glimpse this beautiful bird of prey.