The famous behavioral scientist Konrad Lorenz called the peregrine falcon the bird of birds – but a poison almost became the species’ downfall. Now the fastest of all fliers is spreading again.
Screams cut through the silence in the quarry between Kaiserslautern and Mannheim. Two young birds hop and crawl over the ledge on the steep wall made of red sandstone. They flap their wings, light down comes loose, sails away. A few days ago they were as small as a ping pong ball. Now the young falcons have grown to the size of pigeons. And they are hungry! Their cries become louder when an adult bird appears. In its yellow fangs – the “feet” – it carries a freshly caught starling. The female falcon portions out the food and stuffs it into wide-open beaks. The little ones can’t tear themselves yet.