Lovebirds: Peregrine Falcon Caught On Camera Passing Tasty Dove To His Mate

The dove has long been considered a symbol of love, and for some bigger birds it also makes for a decent meal.

This male peregrine falcon managed to kill two birds with one stone (while only actually killing one bird…), passing this mangled dove to his beloved in a romantic mid-air handover.

Lunchtime: The falcon prepares to pass the dove to his mate (SWNS)

Chris Skipper, 38, took this series of pictures above Norwich Cathedral in Norfolk.

He said of the top image: “I was so chuffed to get the picture, it is one of those once in a life time shots.

"I’ve been taken pictures of the peregrines since 2011 but never got it so sharp, when I downloaded the pictures at home I was surprised to see how good it was.”

In a flap: Snapper Chris Skipper says these images were “once in a lifetime” shots (SWNS)

The peregrine falcons, nesting on a special platform on the cathedral spire 246ft (75m) above the ground, have been breeding in Norwich since 2011 as part of an urban peregrine breeding program managed by the Hawk and Owl Trust.

The birds of prey currently have four chicks nesting on the Cathedral, which hatched at the end of last month.

The birds are the fastest thing on earth with an ability to fly at more than 200mph (322km/h) when diving for prey, making them faster than a cheetah and on a par with a Formula 1 car.