A streamlined, high-speed large falcon with long wings that nearly reach the tail tip and a powerful yet slender profile. Adults show a grey-toned back, while the dark mark beneath each eye varies in shape and prominence. Juveniles are browner above and more heavily streaked below than adults. Plumage differs widely across its vast range, from the pale grey backs of Central Asian birds to slaty-blue tones in much of northern Eurasia and North America, and almost black in some Asian forms. It hunts by pursuing prey at great speed with strong, steady wingbeats. Now increasingly familiar in many regions—especially cities—it often nests on tall buildings and feeds on pigeons. Highly adaptable, it occurs in many habitats, frequently around cliffs, coastal flats, and open areas rich in shorebirds

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