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Kappa Delta Rho

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Kappa Delta Rho ( ΚΔΡ ), commonly known as KDR , is an American collegiate social fraternity that was established at Middlebury College in 1905. It has chartered 84 chapters, 35 of which are active, in the United States, primarily in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions.

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109-482: Kappa Delta Rho was founded in room 14 of Old Painter Hall at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont on May 17, 1905. Middlebury was the site of chapters of three fraternities that year: Chi Psi , Delta Kappa Epsilon , and Delta Upsilon . However, not finding these organizations to their liking, the founders of Kappa Delta Rho chose to create their new organization. Kappa Delta Rho was the created by ten men from

218-503: A Junior Member of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) in 1921, and a Senior Member in 1929. Growth continued after World War II, when chapters that had briefly ceased operations reopened to returning students, and expansion again became possible. Similarly, after World War II, the fraternity successfully reopened to the flood of returning GIs fifteen of its then twenty chapters in

327-600: A blue-grey back, barred white underparts, and a black head. The peregrine is renowned for its speed. It can reach over 320 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high-speed dive), making it the fastest animal on the planet. According to a National Geographic TV program, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph). As is typical for bird-eating (avivore) raptors, peregrine falcons are sexually dimorphic , with females being considerably larger than males. The peregrine's breeding range includes land regions from

436-735: A body length of 34 to 58 cm (13–23 in) and a wingspan from 74 to 120 cm (29–47 in). The male and female have similar markings and plumage but, as with many birds of prey , the peregrine falcon displays marked sexual dimorphism in size, with the female measuring up to 30% larger than the male. Males weigh 330 to 1,000 g (12–35 oz) and the noticeably larger females weigh 700 to 1,500 g (25–53 oz). In most subspecies, males weigh less than 700 g (25 oz) and females weigh more than 800 g (28 oz), and cases of females weighing about 50% more than their male breeding mates are not uncommon. The standard linear measurements of peregrines are:

545-549: A breeding territory, a pair may have several nesting ledges; the number used by a pair can vary from one or two up to seven in a 16-year period. The peregrine falcon nests in a scrape, normally on cliff edges. The female chooses a nest site, where she scrapes a shallow hollow in the loose soil, sand, gravel, or dead vegetation in which to lay eggs. No nest materials are added. Cliff nests are generally located under an overhang, on ledges with vegetation. South-facing sites are favoured. In some regions, as in parts of Australia and on

654-741: A co-ed chapter within the North American Interfraternity Conference. Kappa Delta Rho's open motto is " Honor Super Omnia " or "Honor Above All Things". The fraternity's publications describe its values as fellowship, leadership, scholarship, service, and tradition. Its credo was first nationally published in The Fraternity Month in October 1946. The author was George E. Shaw, Alpha (1910), director of Kappa Delta Rho and national historian. Its colors are Middlebury blue and Princeton orange. Its flower

763-417: A falcon's nostrils are theorized to guide the powerful airflow away from the nostrils, enabling the bird to breathe more easily while diving by reducing the change in air pressure. To protect their eyes, the falcons use their nictitating membranes (third eyelids) to spread tears and clear debris from their eyes while maintaining vision. The distinctive malar stripe or 'moustache', a dark area of feathers below

872-414: A family was $ 46,691. Males had a median income of $ 32,645 versus $ 25,994 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 17,926. About 5.3% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those aged 65 or over. Middlebury and the surrounding area are served by Porter Medical Center . Middlebury State Airport , located east of

981-412: A few Arctic ground squirrels ( Urocitellus parryii ). Other small mammals including shrews , mice , rats , voles , and squirrels are more seldom taken. Peregrines occasionally take rabbits , mainly young individuals and juvenile hares . Additionally, remains of red fox kits and adult female American marten were found among prey remains. Insects and reptiles such as small snakes make up

1090-637: A group of Patriote refugees from the Lower Canada Rebellion met in Middlebury to plan their future course of action. It was attended by two major Patriote leaders, Louis-Joseph Papineau and Robert Nelson , but they were not able to agree on a unified plan. On October 22, 2007, central Middlebury was evacuated for a short time because of a train derailment ; the Middlebury Union Middle School served as

1199-404: A high perch or from the air. Large congregations of migrants, especially species that gather in the open like shorebirds, can be quite attractive to a hunting peregrine. Once prey is spotted, it begins its stoop, folding back the tail and wings, with feet tucked. Prey is typically struck and captured in mid-air; the peregrine falcon strikes its prey with a clenched foot, stunning or killing it with

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1308-405: A larger geographic area owes its success to human-led introduction ; the domestic and feral pigeons are both domesticate forms of the rock dove , which are a major prey species for Eurasian Peregrine populations. Due to their prevalence over most other bird species in cities, feral pigeons support many peregrine populations as a staple food source, especially in urban settings . The peregrine

1417-465: A minimum of $ 500 upwards to $ 5,000. In addition to competitive academic scholarships the Foundation also gives away non-competitive New Member academic scholarships. Any KDR brother who received above a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale during his pledging semester will receive $ 100 from the Foundation, providing they submit the proper documentation. The Kappa Delta Rho Foundation also offers scholarships for

1526-437: A naked photo of herself and threatened to report it. 38 members of the fraternity were expelled. A student claimed that as a pledge, he was burned with cigarettes, physically beaten, and forced to drink liquor mixed with urine and hot sauce. As of 2024, Bucknell University does not recognize KDR. Middlebury, Vermont Middlebury is the shire town (county seat) of Addison County, Vermont , United States. As of

1635-591: A peregrine falcon. The peregrine falcon has been designated the official city bird of Chicago . The Peregrine , by J. A. Baker , is widely regarded as one of the best nature books in English written in the twentieth century. Admirers of the book include Robert Macfarlane , Mark Cocker , who regards the book as "one of the most outstanding books on nature in the twentieth century" and Werner Herzog , who called it "the one book I would ask you to read if you want to make films", and said elsewhere "it has prose of

1744-549: A shortcut and alleviate traffic through downtown. The village of East Middlebury is located in the southern part of the town, east of U.S. Route 7. This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Middlebury has a humid continental climate , abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. As of

1853-607: A small proportion of the diet, and salmonid fish have been taken by peregrines. The peregrine falcon hunts most often at dawn and dusk, when prey are most active, but also nocturnally in cities, particularly during migration periods when hunting at night may become prevalent. Nocturnal migrants taken by peregrines include species as diverse as yellow-billed cuckoo , black-necked grebe , virginia rail , and common quail . The peregrine requires open space in order to hunt, and therefore often hunts over open water, marshes , valleys , fields, and tundra , searching for prey either from

1962-541: A technique called hacking . Finally, after years of close work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, a limited take of wild peregrines was allowed in 2004, the first wild peregrines taken specifically for falconry in over 30 years. The development of captive breeding methods has led to peregrines being commercially available for falconry use, thus mostly eliminating the need to capture wild birds for support of falconry. The main reason for taking wild peregrines at this point

2071-463: A total-member education program called The Legion. This innovative four-year personal development track grounded in the Fraternity's values combines the latest educational technology with a holistic personal development curriculum to mold Brothers from the first day of new member education to prepare them for life after graduation. Kappa Delta Rho has 84 chapters, 35 of which are active. In 2015,

2180-441: A unique badge, slightly modified from the standard fraternity badge, which ironically, Alpha men had designed at the 1905 birth of the fraternity. Alpha chapter was also the only nationally affiliated fraternity chapter at Middlebury, where all other groups remain "locals". On June 25, 2015, Middlebury College terminated its relationship with KDR. Kappa Delta Rho is one of two fraternities (the other being Alpha Delta Phi ) to have

2289-466: A variety of pigeons. Among pigeons, the rock dove or feral pigeon comprises 80% or more of the dietary intake of peregrines. Other common city birds are also taken regularly, including mourning doves , common wood pigeons , common swifts , northern flickers , eurasian collared doves , common starlings , American robins , common blackbirds , and corvids such as magpies , jays or carrion , house , and American crows . Coastal populations of

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2398-506: Is a 0.6–0.7% genetic distance in the peregrine falcon-Barbary falcon ("peregrinoid") complex. The peregrine falcon lives mostly along mountain ranges , river valleys , coastlines , and increasingly in cities . In mild-winter regions, it is usually a permanent resident, and some individuals, especially adult males, will remain on the breeding territory. Only populations that breed in Arctic climates typically migrate great distances during

2507-432: Is a highly successful example of urban wildlife in much of its range, taking advantage of tall buildings as nest sites and an abundance of prey such as pigeons and ducks. Both the English and scientific names of this species mean "wandering falcon", referring to the migratory habits of many northern populations. Experts recognize 17 to 19 subspecies , which vary in appearance and range; disagreement exists over whether

2616-701: Is adapted to available prey in different regions. However, it typically feeds on medium-sized birds such as pigeons and doves , waterfowl , gamebirds , songbirds , parrots , seabirds , and waders . Worldwide, it is estimated that between 1,500 and 2,000 bird species, or roughly a fifth of the world's bird species, are predated somewhere by these falcons. The peregrine falcon preys on the most diverse range of bird species of any raptor in North America, with over 300 species and including nearly 100 shorebirds . Its prey can range from 3 g (0.11 oz) hummingbirds ( Selasphorus and Archilochus ssp.) to

2725-456: Is from the larger females of the largest subspecies to the smaller males of the smallest subspecies, approximately five to one (approximately 1500 g to 300 g). The males of smaller and medium-sized subspecies, and the females of the smaller subspecies, excel in the taking of swift and agile small game birds such as dove, quail, and smaller ducks. The females of the larger subspecies are capable of taking large and powerful game birds such as

2834-485: Is funded in large part by the Foundation. The Academy allows undergraduate KDR brothers to learn more about being an effective leader in their Chapter and the professional world. The Consuls Academy is a three-day leadership program held every January for incoming Chapter Consuls (presidents). This intensive academy prepares Consuls for the responsibilities of running a Chapter. In 2007 the KDR Foundation created

2943-519: Is land and 0.39 square miles (1.0 km ), or 1.00%, is water. Middlebury is crossed by U.S. Route 7 , Vermont Route 23 , Vermont Route 30 , Vermont Route 116 , and Vermont Route 125 . It is bordered by the towns of New Haven and Bristol to the north, Ripton to the east, Cornwall and Weybridge to the west, and Salisbury to the south. A new bridge over Otter Creek connecting Cross Street to Bakery Lane opened in November 2010 to serve as

3052-421: Is not clear, as the issue is complicated by widespread hybridization confounding mtDNA sequence analyses. One genetic lineage of the saker falcon ( F. cherrug ) is known to have originated from a male saker ancestor producing fertile young with a female peregrine ancestor, and the descendants further breeding with sakers. Today, peregrines are regularly paired in captivity with other species such as

3161-519: Is plucked before consumption. A 2016 study showed that the presence of peregrines benefits non-preferred species while at the same time causing a decline in its preferred prey. As of 2018, the fastest recorded falcon was at 242 mph (nearly 390 km/h). Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and at Oxford University used 3D computer simulations in 2018 to show that

3270-560: Is the red rose and its symbol is the Peregrine falcon . The fraternity's badge is gold and set in pearls, in the form of the Greek letters Κ and Ρ , with Δ on top. The Kappa Delta Rho coat of arms is a shield over crossed daggers. On the shield, is a scale, an open book, and a lighted lamp. Under the shield, in scroll with the fraternity's motto in Latin. The National Office of

3379-454: Is to maintain healthy genetic diversity in the breeding lines. Hybrids of peregrines and gyrfalcons are also available that can combine the best features of both species to create what many consider to be the ultimate falconry bird for the taking of larger game such as the sage-grouse . These hybrids combine the greater size, strength, and horizontal speed of the gyrfalcon with the natural propensity to stoop and greater warm weather tolerance of

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3488-906: Is updated every few years by the National Office to bring it up to date with new information, policies, and ideas. Awards are given out to chapters and individual Brothers each year at the National Convention. Chapter awards include the Robert D. Corrie Award for Chapter of The Year, O.D. Roberts Award for Chapter Improvement, Donald C. Wolfe for Outstanding Newsletter, George E. Kimball Award for Outstanding Social Service, John L. Blakely Award for Outstanding Philanthropics, Leo T. Wolford Award for Outstanding Campus Involvement, Gino A. Ratti Award for Outstanding Alumni Relations, E. Mayer Maloney Award for Outstanding Faculty Relations, Dr. Harold Osborn Award for Outstanding Intramural Sports, and

3597-552: The Green Mountain Flyer (New York City - Montreal) and the overnight Mount Royal, making stops in the city. Peregrine falcon 17–19, see text The peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus ), also known simply as the peregrine , and historically as the duck hawk in North America , is a cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family Falconidae . A large, crow -sized falcon , it has

3706-623: The 2020 census , the population was 9,152. Middlebury is home to Middlebury College and the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History and the adjacent hardware store. One of the New Hampshire Grants , Middlebury was chartered by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth on November 2, 1761. The name "Middlebury" came from its location between the towns of Salisbury and New Haven . It was awarded to John Evarts and 62 others. The French and Indian Wars ended in 1763;

3815-462: The Arctic tundra to the tropics . It can be found nearly everywhere on Earth, except extreme polar regions , very high mountains, and most tropical rainforests ; the only major ice-free landmass from which it is entirely absent is New Zealand . This makes it the world's most widespread raptor and one of the most widely found wild bird species . In fact, the only land-based bird species found over

3924-584: The Barbary falcon of the Canary Islands and coastal North Africa to be two subspecies ( pelegrinoides and babylonicus ) of Falco peregrinus , rather than a distinct species, F. pelegrinoides . The following map shows the general ranges of these 19 subspecies. The Barbary falcon is a subspecies of the peregrine falcon that inhabits parts of North Africa; namely, from the Canary Islands to

4033-931: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds . The RSPB estimated that there were 1,402 breeding pairs in the UK in 2011. In Canada, where peregrines were identified as endangered in 1978 (in the Yukon territory of northern Canada that year, only a single breeding pair was identified ), the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada declared the species no longer at risk in December 2017. Peregrines now breed in many mountainous and coastal areas, especially in

4142-586: The census of 2010, there were 8,494 people, 2,860 households, and 1,642 families residing in the town. The population density was 209.7 people per square mile (80.9/km ). There were 2,805 housing units at an average density of 71.9 per square mile (27.7/km ). The racial makeup of the town was 90.3% White , 4.3% Asian , 3.0% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 3.0% from two or more races, 1.3% Black or African American , 0.66% from other races , 0.2% Native American and 0.02% Pacific Islander . There were 2,657 households, out of which 27.7% had children under

4251-486: The great horned owl and the Eurasian eagle-owl . When reintroductions have been attempted for peregrines, the most serious impediments were these two species of owls routinely picking off nestlings, fledglings and adults by night. Peregrines defending their nests have managed to kill raptors as large as golden eagles and bald eagles (both of which they normally avoid as potential predators) that have come too close to

4360-523: The lanner falcon ( F. biarmicus ) to produce the " perilanner ", a bird popular in falconry as it combines the peregrine's hunting skill with the lanner's hardiness, or the gyrfalcon to produce large, strikingly coloured birds for the use of falconers. Numerous subspecies of Falco peregrinus have been described, with 19 accepted by the 1994 Handbook of the Birds of the World , which considers

4469-525: The prairie falcon ( F. mexicanus ). This lineage probably diverged from other falcons towards the end of the Late Miocene or in the Late Pliocene , about 3–8  million years ago (mya). As the peregrine-hierofalcon group includes both Old World and North American species, it is likely that the lineage originated in western Eurasia or Africa. Its relationship to other falcons

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4578-433: The spinal column at the neck. An immature bird is much browner, with streaked, rather than barred, underparts, and has a pale bluish cere and orbital ring. A study shows that their black malar stripe exists to reduce glare from solar radiation , allowing them to see better. Photos from The Macaulay Library and iNaturalist showed that the malar stripe is thicker where there is more solar radiation. That supports

4687-638: The " tiercel ") and the female (simply called the "falcon") both leave the nest to gather prey to feed the young. The hunting territory of the parents can extend a radius of 19 to 24 km (12 to 15 mi) from the nest site. Chicks fledge 42 to 46 days after hatching, and remain dependent on their parents for up to two months. The peregrine falcon is a highly admired falconry bird, and has been used in falconry for more than 3,000 years, beginning with nomads in central Asia . Its advantages in falconry include not only its athleticism and eagerness to hunt, but an equable disposition that leads to it being one of

4796-418: The 1980s the fraternity gained 28 new chapters. All told, the fraternity has organized at more than 80 campuses, and from these boasts 35 active chapters and colonies. See the list of KDR chapters . Unusual among college fraternities, KDR's Alpha chapter at Middlebury chose to coeducate or accept both male and female members in 1989, due to a policy at the school against single-sex organizations. Their choice

4905-602: The 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) sandhill crane , although most prey taken by peregrines weigh between 20 g (0.71 oz) (small passerines ) and 1,100 g (2.4 lb) ( ducks , geese , loons , gulls , capercaillies , ptarmigans and other grouse ). Smaller hawks (such as sharp-shinned hawks ) and owls are regularly predated, as well as smaller falcons such as the American kestrel , merlin and, rarely, other peregrines. In urban areas, where it tends to nest on tall buildings or bridges, it subsists mostly on

5014-478: The Arabian Peninsula. There is discussion concerning the taxonomic status of the bird, with some considering it a subspecies of the peregrine falcon and others considering it a full species with two subspecies (White et al. 2013). Compared to the other peregrine falcon subspecies, Barbary falcons sport a slimmer body and a distinct plumage color pattern. Despite numbers and range of these birds throughout

5123-485: The Canary Islands generally increasing, they are considered endangered, with human interference through falconry and shooting threatening their well-being. Falconry can further complicate the speciation and genetics of these Canary Islands falcons, as the practice promotes genetic mixing between individuals from outside the islands with those originating from the islands. Population density of the Barbary falcons on Tenerife,

5232-463: The Fraternity. The Kappa Delta Rho Foundation provides competitive scholarships based on academic achievement, as well as financial need. Applications are submitted online. The Foundation also serves as a caretaker to several Chapter-specific scholarships and area-of-study-specific scholarships that can be applied for with the same application. The Foundation typically gives away more than $ 100,000 in annual scholarships with individual awards ranging from

5341-570: The George E. Shaw Award for Outstanding Public Relations. Individual awards are also handed out, including Outstanding Senior, Outstanding New Member, Outstanding Advisor, and the Red Rose Award. In addition, qualified Alumni may be inducted into the prestigious Ordo Honoris based upon achievements in either their career, community, or their dedication to the fraternity. Kappa Delta Rho is financially supported through undergraduate dues and by

5450-451: The KDR chapter at Pennsylvania State University was suspended for three years after their private Facebook page that showed naked women who appeared to be sleeping, passed out, or otherwise incapacitated, apparently without the subjects' consent. At least 144 current KDR members and alumni were members of the social media group. An earlier version of the site had been taken down after a woman saw

5559-592: The Kappa Delta Rho Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity. The Foundation raises funds from Brothers, family, and friends of KDR to financially support the educational, leadership, and character development programs undertaken by the National Fraternity. The Foundation also manages both individual and collective scholarship endowments of the National Fraternity, providing more than $ 100,000 in academic support each year to qualified members of

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5668-625: The Kappa Delta Rho Wilderness Institute, which occurred once a year in a different wilderness location around the country. Brothers who were admitted to the program through an application process took part in a multi-day hike that was led by an alumni mentor and experienced guide. The program was designed to provide hands-on leadership programming, substance-free brotherhood-building activities, personal growth opportunities, and core values exploration. The Wilderness Institute continued until 2011. In 2014, KDR introduced

5777-616: The Middlebury Commons Club . The ten principal founders are George Edwin Kimball, Irving Thurston Coates, John Beecher, Pierce Wordsworth Darrow, Thomas Howard Bartley, Benjamin Edward Farr, Gideon Russell Norton, Gino Arturo Ratti, Chester Monroe Walch and Roy Dyer Wood. In the fraternity's first year, founders Kimball, Walch, and Ratti met by committee to draft the ritual, open motto, and constitution. Walch created

5886-519: The PCB concentrations found in these falcons is dependent upon the age of the falcon. While high levels are still found in young birds (only a few months old) and even higher concentrations are found in more mature falcons, further increasing in adult peregrine falcons. These pesticides caused falcon prey to also have thinner eggshells (one example of prey being the Black Petrels). In several parts of

5995-648: The US were captive-bred from the progeny of falcons taken before the US Endangered Species Act was enacted and from those few infusions of wild genes available from Canada and special circumstances. Peregrine falcons were removed from the United States' endangered species list in 1999. The successful recovery program was aided by the effort and knowledge of falconers – in collaboration with The Peregrine Fund and state and federal agencies – through

6104-499: The Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute and Futures Quest, both of which are educational programs run by the North American Interfraternity Conference . The scholarships cover the full cost of registration for each program. The Elmon M. Williams Leadership Academy is a multi-day leadership program that occurs each August (in conjunction with the National Convention in even-numbered years) and

6213-403: The age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were couples living together and joined in either marriage or civil union , 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.3% were non-families. 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.90. In

6322-443: The back but with thin clean bars, is long, narrow, and rounded at the end with a black tip and a white band at the very end. The top of the head and a "moustache" along the cheeks are black, contrasting sharply with the pale sides of the neck and white throat. The cere is yellow, as are the feet, and the beak and claws are black. The upper beak is notched near the tip, an adaptation which enables falcons to kill prey by severing

6431-415: The biggest of the seven major Canary Islands, was found to be 1.27 pairs/100 km , with the mean distance between pairs being 5869 ± 3338 m. The falcons were only observed near large and natural cliffs with a mean altitude of 697.6 m. Falcons show an affinity for tall cliffs away from human-mediated establishments and presence. Barbary falcons have a red neck patch, but otherwise differ in appearance from

6540-647: The bird associated with princes in formal hierarchies of birds of prey, just below the gyrfalcon associated with kings . It was considered "a royal bird, more armed by its courage than its claws". Terminology used by peregrine breeders also used the Old French term gentil , "of noble birth; aristocratic", particularly with the peregrine. Since 1927, the peregrine falcon has been the official mascot of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio . The 2007 U.S. Idaho state quarter features

6649-680: The center of the village. The Middlebury River flows west to Otter Creek out of the mountains. Chipman Hill, a hill of glacial till , rises 450 feet (140 m) above the village just to the northeast. Foothills of the Green Mountains border the town to the east, with the Champlain Valley to the west. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town has a total area of 39.2 square miles (101.6 km ), of which 38.8 square miles (100.6 km )

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6758-401: The chicks fledged. In Oregon , Portland houses ten percent of the state's peregrine nests, despite only covering around 0.1 percent of the state's land area. Due to its striking hunting technique, the peregrine has often been associated with aggression and martial prowess. The Ancient Egyptian solar deity Ra was often represented as a man with the head of a peregrine falcon adorned with

6867-525: The distinctive Barbary falcon is represented by two subspecies of Falco peregrinus or is a separate species, F. pelegrinoides . The two species' divergence is relatively recent, during the time of the Last Ice Age , therefore the genetic differential between them (and also the difference in their appearance) is relatively tiny. They are only about 0.6–0.8% genetically differentiated. Although its diet consists almost exclusively of medium-sized birds,

6976-503: The early 1970s, populations have recovered, supported by large-scale protection of nesting places and releases to the wild. The peregrine falcon is a well-respected falconry bird due to its strong hunting ability, high trainability, versatility, and availability via captive breeding . It is effective on most game bird species, from small to large. It has also been used as a religious, royal, or national symbol across multiple eras and areas of human civilization. The peregrine falcon has

7085-444: The easier falcons to train. The peregrine falcon has the additional advantage of a natural flight style of circling above the falconer ("waiting on") for game to be flushed, and then performing an effective and exciting high-speed diving stoop to take the quarry . The speed of the stoop not only allows the falcon to catch fast flying birds, it also enhances the falcon's ability to execute maneuvers to catch highly agile prey, and allows

7194-416: The eggs are lost early in the nesting season, the female usually lays another clutch, although this is extremely rare in the Arctic due to the short summer season. Generally three to four eggs, but sometimes as few as one or as many as five, are laid in the scrape. The eggs are white to buff with red or brown markings. They are incubated for 29 to 33 days, mainly by the female, with the male also helping with

7303-480: The evacuation headquarters. Today, as the largest town by population in Addison County, Middlebury serves as the commercial and business center for the region. Downtown hosts a three-screen movie theater, the post office, and two historic inns, as well as many shops and restaurants. There is considerable development along U.S. Route 7 heading south of town, including two supermarkets, two drugstores, most of

7412-461: The eyes, is thought to reduce solar glare and improve contrast sensitivity when targeting fast moving prey in bright light condition; the malar stripe has been found to be wider and more pronounced in regions of the world with greater solar radiation supporting this solar glare hypothesis. Peregrine falcons have a flicker fusion frequency of 129 Hz (cycles per second), very fast for a bird of its size, and much faster than mammals. A study testing

7521-521: The falcon to deliver a knockout blow with a fist-like clenched talon against game that may be much larger than itself. Additionally the versatility of the species, with agility allowing capture of smaller birds and a strength and attacking style allowing capture of game much larger than themselves, combined with the wide size range of the many peregrine subspecies, means there is a subspecies suitable to almost any size and type of game bird. This size range, evolved to fit various environments and prey species,

7630-478: The fall of 1946. In 1960, the KDR Trust was formed, which marked the birth of today's KDR Foundation, an educational, charitable, and literary foundation. KDR has allowed moderate expansion during most of its history, with several new chapters forming in each ensuing decade. The pace of chapter growth increased substantially in the 1980s and 1990s. For example, while the 1970s saw just two chapters formed, during

7739-423: The female in mid-air. To make this possible, the female actually flies upside-down to receive the food from the male's talons. During the breeding season, the peregrine falcon is territorial; nesting pairs are usually more than 1 km (0.62 mi) apart, and often much farther, even in areas with large numbers of pairs. The distance between nests ensures sufficient food supply for pairs and their chicks. Within

7848-602: The first settlers arrived in 1766. John Chipman was the first to clear his land, Lot Seven. During the Revolutionary War , much of the town was burned in Carleton's Raid on November 6, 1778. After the war concluded in 1783, settlers returned to rebuild homes, clear forests and establish farms. The principal crops were grains and hay . Landowners vied for the lucrative honor of having the village center grow on their properties. A survey dispute with Salisbury led to

7957-523: The flight physics of an "ideal falcon" found a theoretical speed limit at 400 km/h (250 mph) for low-altitude flight and 625 km/h (388 mph) for high-altitude flight. In 2005, Ken Franklin recorded a falcon stooping at a top speed of 389 km/h (242 mph). The life span of peregrine falcons in the wild is up to 19 years 9 months. Mortality in the first year is 59–70%, declining to 25–32% annually in adults. Apart from such anthropogenic threats as collision with human-made objects,

8066-543: The forfeiture of Gamaliel Painter's farm to that town, and his transition from farming to developing Middlebury Village near his and Abisha Washburn's mill, together with other mills that surrounded the Otter Creek falls. Industries would include a cotton factory, sawmill , gristmill , pail factory, paper mill , woolen factory, iron foundry , and marble quarry . The Rutland & Burlington Railroad first arrived on September 1, 1849. Around 1830, Middlebury

8175-518: The founding members to discuss the absorption of KDR into DTD. While the founders indeed had expressed some interest in joining a national fraternity, the debate soon turned against this idea. In Kimball's words: "We had decided that we preferred to paddle our own canoe and took no further action in the matter." Yet the idea of national expansion took root, and by 1913, KDR had established its second chapter, Beta, at Cornell , and soon after, its third chapter, Gamma, at SUNY Albany . Kappa Delta Rho became

8284-528: The fraternity publishes a semi-annual news magazine called the Quill & Scroll . First published as The Scroll in 1909 at Middlebury College, the Fraternity changed its name in 1924 after it became a national publication. Today, articles in The Quill and Scroll detail the successes of the National Fraternity, the various alumni corporations, undergraduate chapters, and individual members. The articles reflect

8393-421: The fraternity's secret motto and password. For its organizational structure, the founders chose Roman nomenclature for fraternity positions, evocative of Roman values. Ratti, who had previous artistic experience, designed the coat of arms and helped develop the ritual. He also chose the fraternity's colors and flower. This activity was soon noticed by a representative from Delta Tau Delta fraternity, who met with

8502-511: The genetic diversity of this species. Since peregrine falcon eggs and chicks are still often targeted by illegal poachers, it is common practice not to publicize unprotected nest locations. Populations of the peregrine falcon have bounced back in most parts of the world. In the United Kingdom, there has been a recovery of populations since the crash of the 1960s. This has been greatly assisted by conservation and protection work led by

8611-424: The high ideals of KDR as experienced by its undergraduates and alumni. The Pathfinder is the KDR educational and historical manual. It is given to those who choose to pledge to the fraternity so that they may understand the responsibilities of membership. It also provides them with an introduction to how KDR is organized, how it operates, and what the roles are of the chapter, alumni, and National Office. The Manual

8720-434: The high speed allows peregrines to gain better maneuverability and precision in strikes. The peregrine falcon is sexually mature at one to three years of age, but in larger populations they breed after two to three years of age. A pair mates for life and returns to the same nesting spot annually. The courtship flight includes a mix of aerial acrobatics, precise spirals, and steep dives. The male passes prey it has caught to

8829-561: The impact, then turns to catch it in mid-air. If its prey is too heavy to carry, a peregrine will drop it to the ground and eat it there. If they miss the initial strike, peregrines will chase their prey in a twisting flight. Although previously thought rare, several cases of peregrines contour-hunting, i.e., using natural contours to surprise and ambush prey on the ground, have been reported and even rare cases of prey being pursued on foot. In addition, peregrines have been documented preying on chicks in nests, from birds such as kittiwakes. Prey

8938-509: The inclusion of non-native subspecies was justified to optimize the genetic diversity found within the species as a whole. During the 1970s, peregrine falcons in Finland experienced a population bottleneck as a result of large declines associated with bio-accumulation of organochloride pesticides. However, the genetic diversity of peregrines in Finland is similar to other populations, indicating that high dispersal rates have maintained

9047-426: The incubation of the eggs during the day, but only the female incubating them at night. The average number of young found in nests is 2.5, and the average number that fledge is about 1.5, due to the occasional production of infertile eggs and various natural losses of nestlings. After hatching, the chicks (called " eyases " ) are covered with creamy-white down and have disproportionately large feet. The male (called

9156-683: The large subspecies pealei feed almost exclusively on seabirds . In the Brazilian mangrove swamp of Cubatão , a wintering falcon of the subspecies tundrius was observed successfully hunting a juvenile scarlet ibis . Among mammalian prey species, bats in the genera Eptesicus , Myotis , Pipistrellus and Tadarida are the most common prey taken at night. Though peregrines generally do not prefer terrestrial mammalian prey, in Rankin Inlet , peregrines largely take northern collared lemmings ( Dicrostonyx groenlandicus ) along with

9265-461: The largest of duck species, pheasant, and grouse. Peregrine falcons handled by falconers are also occasionally used to scare away birds at airports to reduce the risk of bird-plane strikes , improving air-traffic safety. They were also used to intercept homing pigeons during World War II. Peregrine falcons have been successfully bred in captivity, both for falconry and for release into the wild. Until 2004 nearly all peregrines used for falconry in

9374-422: The name was used as juvenile birds were taken while journeying to their breeding location (rather than from the nest), as falcon nests are often difficult to get at. The Latin term for falcon, falco , is related to falx , meaning " sickle ", in reference to the silhouette of the falcon's long, pointed wings in flight. The peregrine falcon belongs to a genus whose lineage includes the hierofalcons and

9483-526: The natural cliff ledges that the peregrine prefers for its nesting locations. The pair defends the chosen nest site against other peregrines, and often against ravens , herons , and gulls , and if ground-nesting, also such mammals as foxes , wolverines , felids , bears , wolves , and mountain lions . Both nests and (less frequently) adults are predated by larger-bodied raptorial birds like eagles , large owls , or gyrfalcons . The most serious predators of peregrine nests in North America and Europe are

9592-712: The nest by ambushing them in a full stoop. In one instance, when a snowy owl killed a newly fledged peregrine, the larger owl was in turn killed by a stooping peregrine parent. The date of egg-laying varies according to locality, but is generally from February to March in the Northern Hemisphere , and from July to August in the Southern Hemisphere , although the Australian subspecies macropus may breed as late as November, and equatorial populations may nest anytime between June and December. If

9701-411: The northern winter. The peregrine falcon reaches faster speeds than any other animal on the planet when performing the stoop, which involves soaring to a great height and then diving steeply at speeds of over 320 km/h (200 mph), hitting one wing of its prey so as not to harm itself on impact. The air pressure from such a dive could possibly damage a bird's lungs , but small bony tubercles on

9810-622: The origins of captive breeding stock used by the Peregrine Fund in the recovery of peregrine falcons throughout the contiguous United States. Several peregrine subspecies were included in the breeding stock, including birds of Eurasian origin. Due to the extirpation of the eastern population of Falco peregrinus anatum , the near-extirpation of anatum in the Midwest and the limited gene pool within North American breeding stock,

9919-594: The peregrine falcon proper merely according to Gloger's rule , relating pigmentation to environmental humidity . The Barbary falcon has a peculiar way of flying, beating only the outer part of its wings as fulmars sometimes do; this also occurs in the peregrine falcon, but less often and far less pronounced. The Barbary falcon's shoulder and pelvis bones are stout by comparison with the peregrine falcon and its feet are smaller. Barbary falcons breed at different times of year than neighboring peregrine falcon subspecies, but they are capable of interbreeding. There

10028-728: The peregrine may be killed by larger hawks and owls . The peregrine falcon is host to a range of parasites and pathogens . It is a vector for Avipoxvirus , Newcastle disease virus , Falconid herpesvirus 1 (and possibly other Herpesviridae ), and some mycoses and bacterial infections . Endoparasites include Plasmodium relictum (usually not causing malaria in the peregrine falcon), Strigeidae trematodes , Serratospiculum amaculata ( nematode ), and tapeworms . Known peregrine falcon ectoparasites are chewing lice , Ceratophyllus garei (a flea ), and Hippoboscidae flies ( Icosta nigra , Ornithoctona erythrocephala ). The peregrine falcon's diet varies greatly and

10137-402: The peregrine will sometimes hunt small mammals, small reptiles, or even insects. Reaching sexual maturity at one year, it mates for life and nests in a scrape , normally on cliff edges or, in recent times, on tall human-made structures. The peregrine falcon became an endangered species in many areas because of the widespread use of certain pesticides, especially DDT . Since the ban on DDT from

10246-417: The peregrine. The peregrine falcon became an endangered species over much of its range because of the use of organochlorine pesticides , especially DDT , during the 1950s, '60s, and '70s. Pesticide biomagnification caused organochlorine to build up in the falcons' fat tissues, reducing the amount of calcium in their eggshells. With thinner shells, fewer falcon eggs survived until hatching. In addition,

10355-592: The solar disk, although most Egyptologists agree that it is most likely a Lanner falcon . Native Americans of the Mississippian culture (c. 800–1500) used the peregrine, along with several other birds of prey, in imagery as a symbol of "aerial (celestial) power" and buried men of high status in costumes associating to the ferocity of raptorial birds. In the late Middle Ages , the Western European nobility that used peregrines for hunting, considered

10464-399: The solar glare hypothesis. Falco peregrinus was first described under its current binomial name by English ornithologist Marmaduke Tunstall in his 1771 work Ornithologia Britannica . The scientific name Falco peregrinus is a Medieval Latin phrase that was used by Albertus Magnus in 1225. Peregrinus is Latin, meaning "one from abroad" or "coming from foreign parts". It is likely

10573-405: The species in captivity. The chicks are usually fed through a chute or with a hand puppet mimicking a peregrine's head, so they cannot see to imprint on the human trainers. Then, when they are old enough, the rearing box is opened, allowing the bird to train its wings. As the fledgling gets stronger, feeding is reduced, forcing the bird to learn to hunt. This procedure is called hacking back to

10682-405: The town's gas stations, and several fast-food spots. Of note is Middlebury's A&W , Vermont's only remaining car-hop restaurant and a popular spot with both locals and Middlebury College students. Middlebury is located near the center of Addison County in western Vermont. The town is drained by Otter Creek , which flows from south to north along the western edge of the town, with the falls at

10791-554: The town, is for private aviation. Bus service is provided by Tri Valley Transit. Premier Coach provides an intercity bus line in a joint venture effort with Greyhound via Vermont Translines. Amtrak's Ethan Allen Express serves the city's station , connecting it to Burlington to the north and New York City to the south. Service began in the city in July 2022. Until 1953, the Rutland Railroad ran passenger service on

10900-407: The town, the population was spread out, with 17.5% under the age of 18, 31.4% from 18 to 24, 18.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 87.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $ 37,723, and the median income for

11009-472: The west and north, and nest in some urban areas, capitalising on the urban feral pigeon populations for food. Additionally, falcons benefit from artificial illumination, which allows the raptors to extend their hunting periods into the dusk when natural illumination would otherwise be too low for them to pursue prey. In England , this has allowed them to prey on nocturnal migrants such as redwings , fieldfares , starlings , and woodcocks . In many parts of

11118-513: The west coast of northern North America, large tree hollows are used for nesting. Before the demise of most European peregrines, a large population of peregrines in central and western Europe used the disused nests of other large birds. In remote, undisturbed areas such as the Arctic, steep slopes and even low rocks and mounds may be used as nest sites. In many parts of its range, peregrines now also nest regularly on tall buildings or bridges; these human-made structures used for breeding closely resemble

11227-491: The wild . To release a captive-bred falcon, the bird is placed in a special cage at the top of a tower or cliff ledge for some days or so, allowing it to acclimate itself to its future environment. Worldwide recovery efforts have been remarkably successful. The widespread restriction of DDT use eventually allowed released birds to breed successfully. The peregrine falcon was removed from the U.S. Endangered Species list on 25 August 1999. Some controversy has existed over

11336-480: The wing chord measures 26.5 to 39 cm (10.4–15.4 in), the tail measures 13 to 19 cm (5.1–7.5 in) and the tarsus measures 4.5 to 5.6 cm (1.8–2.2 in). The back and the long pointed wings of the adult are usually bluish black to slate grey with indistinct darker barring (see "Subspecies" below ); the wingtips are black. The white to rusty underparts are barred with thin clean bands of dark brown or black. The tail, coloured like

11445-491: The world peregrine falcons have adapted to urban habitats, nesting on cathedrals , skyscraper window ledges, tower blocks, and the towers of suspension bridges . Many of these nesting birds are encouraged, sometimes gathering media attention and often monitored by cameras. In England , peregrine falcons have become increasingly urban in distribution, particularly in southern areas where inland cliffs suitable as nesting sites are scarce. The first recorded urban breeding pair

11554-652: The world, such as the eastern United States and Belgium , this species became extirpated (locally extinct) as a result. An alternate point of view is that populations in the eastern North America had vanished due to hunting and egg collection. Following the ban of organochlorine pesticides, the reproductive success of Peregrines increased in Scotland in terms of territory occupancy and breeding success, although spatial variation in recovery rates indicate that in some areas Peregrines were also impacted by other factors such as persecution. Peregrine falcon recovery teams breed

11663-529: Was observed nesting on the Swansea Guildhall in the 1980s. In Southampton , a nest prevented restoration of mobile telephony services for several months in 2013, after Vodafone engineers despatched to repair a faulty transmitter mast discovered a nest in the mast, and were prevented by the Wildlife and Countryside Act – on pain of a possible prison sentence – from proceeding with repairs until

11772-590: Was stark: either that or disband, an unthinkable choice for the founding chapter of a national fraternity. After several years of negotiation, the Alpha chapter was restored to its place as the eldest chapter of the fraternity and by agreement was the only chapter of the Kappa Delta Rho Society , a parallel branch of the fraternity meant to support this, its only co-ed chapter. Because of its special status, Alpha chapter maintained its traditions and

11881-508: Was the second-largest town in Vermont. Middlebury College , one of the United States' elite liberal arts colleges , was founded in 1800. It is a member of the NESCAC . In the summer, the town plays host to the annual Middlebury College Language Schools , as well as the college's Bread Loaf Writers' Conference , the oldest surviving conference of its kind in the nation. On January 2, 1838,

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