north. Tundra
             peregrines range across the treeless regions of Alaska and Canada. They are also found in
             Greenland. Peale's peregrine (Falco peregrinus pealei) is the third North American
             subspecies. This western bird ranges from Oregon northward to Alaska and the Aleutian
             Islands. Peale's peregrine is the largest of the three subspecies. The tundra and Peale's
             peregrines have escaped the worst effects of DDT poisoning.
             Most peregrines are slate blue on the back and wings. The top of its head is black. Black
             feathers around the eyes reduce glare and improve the bird's vision. The white underside
             of a Peregrine's wings, tail, and chest show more bands of dark feathers.
             A peregrine falcon is a medium-sized bird about the size of a crow. Female peregrines are
             larger and heavier than the males. An average female (called a falcon) weighs a little over
             two pounds. The female is eighteen inches in length from beak to square tail. Her long,
             pointed wings measure forty-five inches from tip to tip. The male bird (called a tiercel) is
             only two-thirds the size of his mate. Therefore, a typical tiercel weighs only one and
             one-half pounds. His body is two inches shorter and his wings are four inches shorter than
             A peregrine's feathers make its high-speed flight possible. The feathers lie close to its
             streamlined body. Like all birds, peregrines lose their feathers and grow new ones. This
             process is called molting. A peregrine's molt lasts
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