CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER stood out as one of the most anticipated action films of 2011 and earned its place as a top three World War II era blockbuster. When a film hits that level of success, studios push forward with a follow up, which is why CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is scheduled to arrive in theaters on April 4, 2014.
Alongside the iconic red, white, and blue hero arrives Falcon, the heroic figure introduced in Captain America comics in 1969. Falcon brings the ability to soar through the skies and to communicate telepathically with birds of prey. The exact part he will play in the sequel is still under wraps as directors Joe and Anthony Russo guard plot specifics, offering glimpses only as the project moves forward.
What is confirmed is Anthony Mackie in the Falcon suit and Chris Evans once again stepping into the Captain America mantle. Before the credits roll, here are some interesting facts about falcons:
- There are 39 different species of falcon worldwide, five of which can be spotted in Canada, moving from coastal shores to boreal forests and urban edges.
- Among falcons, peregrines are the best known, celebrated for their incredible speed and hunting prowess. Scientists recognize three subspecies within this peregrine lineage.
- In peregrine nomenclature the female is a falcon while the male is called a tiercel.
- Falcons are birds of prey with few natural predators, a fact that contributed to wartime controls during the Second World War aimed at protecting messenger pigeons from predation.
- When they hunt, falcons typically secure a meal in about two minutes, a rapid burst of speed and precision.