Habib

This is Habib. He is a two-year old peregrine falcon that I photographed in Abu Dhabi last month as part of a series on falcons. These raptors are extraordinary creatures. The fastest animals on the planet, they have been clocked at over 280 mph during their dives (called stoops). To protect their eyes during their stoops, falcons have a third eyelid that spreads tears and clears debris - basically it’s nature’s version of goggles. And the speed and energy of their stoops are so great that they allow a falcon to deliver instantaneous knock-out blows to their prey. Anything being hunted by these birds doesn’t stand a chance. Used by the desert Bedouin well before Christ was born, falconry is now considered the sport of Kings in Arab cultures. And is it any wonder, with prized falcons fetching as much as two million dollars.