A large, crow-sized falcon. It has a blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head with a long "moustache" marking which gives it a distinctive hooded appearance. The skin around the eyes and at the base of the beak is yellow; the beak is slate and pale blue-grey.
The peregrine is renowned for its speed, reaching over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic high-speed dive, making it the fastest bird in the world and the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to National Geographic, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph).
ハヤブサ is simultaneously the Japanese word for the peregrine falcon species as well as for falcons in general.
