In the fascinating world of birds, falcons probably are the most impressive, the most agile and the most elegant fliers. It's a delight to see them hunting. Most falcon species have a particular way of doing it, but the top hunter is surely the peregrine falcon.

Peregrine falcons nest mainly on cliffs. Surprisingly, today one can find them in large cities where they consider the big buildings to be cliffs and where they have quite a plentiful supply of food. This is because most cities have a major bird population consisting of pigeons and other species.

It is remarkable to some people that peregrine falcons can thrive in these circumstances, but they are no different than the red fox or the raccoon when it comes to survival in the city. Peregrine falcons are opportunists who have evolved and adapted to changing habitats in close proximity to man.

Because these magnificent birds are so difficult to see close, it was a challenge to paint this portrait close-up. In this painting, I wanted to make the viewer feel the thrill that one gets when watching a wild bird through binoculars. I chose a young bird getting into adult plumage, but still showing some brownish feathers.

- Carl Brenders