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A Peregrine Falcon on the Approach
Kathryn Okinaga snagged this shot in the middle of the falcon's signature swoop.
You can spot these majestic predators in the Western Hemisphere year round, stretching from their nesting grounds in South America to their summer range in the Canadian Arctic. Peregrine Falcons are fast; flitting from one habitat to another, they can hit speeds up to 69 miles per hour. DDT could have wiped out the raptor in the 1950s and 1960s, but thanks to conservationists and captive breeders, the bird population recovered; they are flourishing on every continent except Antarctica.
This image was a Top 100 photo from the 2011 Audubon Magazine Photography Awards. To see all of the photos, click here.
For more on the Peregrine Falcon: