A question on Peregrines
A question on Peregrines -
To some, the re introduction of the Peregrine into parts of America from where they were
extirpated by DDT and such other man induced poisons years past, seemed to be a complete success.
However; some others believe this re introduction was not a success, but a self serving project
that did not help in the total scheme of bringing back the birds we as humans so blatantly
eradicated.
It was believed that many, if not some of the birds bred to replace the indigenous Peregrines were
in fact alien subspecies obtained from other world countries, not indigenous ones.
I would like to ask - what is your knowledge of these facts, and with that, what is your thoughts
and feelings on what we have done to our ecosystem in regards to
this ( successful ) re introduction.
Should we have interfered with nature in doing this man induced make good on what we had
ultimately caused; Or might we have recognized our errors and let nature do what it does best, and
that is - adjust naturally?
I am sure there are many different ideas and thoughts about this subject out there - might we
hear yours pro or con on our introduction of the Peregrine in America?
Comments on Falco peregrinus anatum (Eastern Peregrine Falcon):
By the mid-1960s, Peregrine Falcons had been eliminated from the
United States as a breeding species (east of the Mississippi River,
perhaps also east of the Rocky Mountains). There is a very large
literature on the decline of peregrines as the direct result of DDT
poisoning and also egg-collecting and shooting. There was nothing
natural about the assaults and insults that peregrines faced through
the 19th and 20th centuries.
Four essential references on peregrines are:
(1) Cade, Tom J., and William Burnham, eds. 2003. Return of the
Peregrine: A North American Saga of Tenacity and Teamwork. Boise,
Idaho: The Peregrine Fund, 394pp.
(2) Ratcliffe, Derek. 1993. The Peregrine Falcon (Second Edition).
London: T & AD Poyser, 454pp.
(3) Cade, Tom J. et al. 1988. Peregrine Falcon populations: Their
Management and Recovery. Boise, Idaho: The Peregrine Fund, 949pp.
(4) Newton, Ian. 1979, 1997. Population Ecology of Raptors. London:
T & AD Poyser, 399pp.
There are many other important references on the subject of the
peregrine population crash and reintroduction of hybridized peregrine
subspecies into Eastern North America. The minimum estimate of
breeding pairs east of the Rockies prior to 1940 is 350-400 pairs,
with the possibility of two or three times this number being
present. In the forward to reference #3 above, Roger Peterson
writes, "By 1960 no one knew of a single active eyrie anywhere in the
northeastern United States."
The published information on peregrines in Connecticut indicates that
there were only four historic cliff sites where peregrines bred in
the state, all being trap rock ridges in the Central Valley Lowlands
of Connecticut. (See Zeranski, Joseph D., and Thomas R. Baptist.
1990. Connecticut Birds.) The first published description of a
peregrine nest in Connecticut (in fact, the first peregrine nest
discovered south of Labrador) was in 1861, but this site (Talcott
Mountain) was known to have breeding peregrines since 1850. The
literature also states that cliff breeding ceased by 1940 and that a
pair of peregrines nested with some success on The Travelers Tower
during the period 1943-1948. I have obtained some anecdotal
information that peregrines did breed at one trap rock ridge location
in Connecticut as late as 1952.
Since the late 1990s and as a result of captive breeding and release
of peregrines to the wild, peregrines have returned to Connecticut as
a breeding species. The first known breeding took place at The
Travelers Tower in 1997. (See the Connecticut DEP website for
extensive information on the return of peregrines to breeding status
in Connecticut.) Today, there are at least seven known nest sites in
the state, six of them on buildings or bridges and one on a cliff
face. I became interested in peregrines in 1999 when I discovered
the first attempts at nesting on a Connecticut cliff, between a fully
adult tiercel and a year old female. This same pair was present in
the 2000 breeding season, and on March 29, 2000 (at 2:45 P.M.) the
first peregrine egg was laid on a cliff in Connecticut in half a
century. All together, this cliff site has seen egg laying by
different pairs of peregrines in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, and 2007 - a
total of 17 eggs laid in the last nine years. Only four of these
eggs hatched (due to weather conditions, some predation, egg
sterility, and imperfect parental care), and only two peregrines have
fledged at this nest site, one in 2006 and one in 2007. Needless to
say, the recovery of breeding peregrines in Connecticut continues at
a slow pace.
The breeding peregrines I have observed for the past nine years had
themselves hatched out at Riverside Church (Manhattan), Water Street
(Manhattan), the Bayonne Bridge (Staten Island, NY-Bayonne, NJ),
Middletown, CT, Rumney, NH, and Providence, RI, and one bird (the
original female) was banded in migration at Assateague National
Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. There is now some regularity of
unpaired floater peregrines in the state during the breeding season,
also.
My study of peregrines in Connecticut has included a search of the
historical literature and of extant museum specimens, photographs,
and field notes. I hope to submit an article for The Connecticut
Warbler on the history of peregrine breeding in the state in the next
couple of years. A report on the cliff breeding peregrines will follow.
It's totally reasonable to discuss the pros and cons of the
reintroduction of mixed peregrine subspecies to the eastern United
States in order to replace a subspecies that was driven to extinction
(the eastern P. f. anatum). Increasingly, this is a central issue in
wildlife biology and conservation biology. But, for anyone who has
had the good fortune to observe these introduced but fully real and
incredibly beautiful and fascinating birds as they fly, perch, preen,
stoop, kill, feed, defend territory, pair bond, mate, construct
scrapes, lay eggs, attend young, and fledge young, the issue is a
very simple one. You either accept that the subspecies is forever
gone, or you take action (at huge time and expense) to restore as
best one can this always uncommon predator. The choice, for me, is
an easy one. The peregrines present in Connecticut today have
rewritten the way I spend my time.
Steve Broker
Cheshire
On Aug 29, 2007, at 10:57 PM, Carrier Graphics wrote:
A question on Peregrines -
To some, the re introduction of the Peregrine into parts of America
from where they were
extirpated by DDT and such other man induced poisons years past,
seemed to be a complete success.
However; some others believe this re introduction was not a
success, but a self serving project
that did not help in the total scheme of bringing back the birds we
as humans so blatantly
eradicated.
It was believed that many, if not some of the birds bred to replace
the indigenous Peregrines were
in fact alien subspecies obtained from other world countries, not
indigenous ones.
I would like to ask - what is your knowledge of these facts, and
with that, what is your thoughts
and feelings on what we have done to our ecosystem in regards to
this ( successful ) re introduction.
Should we have interfered with nature in doing this man induced
make good on what we had
ultimately caused; Or might we have recognized our errors and let
nature do what it does best, and
that is - adjust naturally?
I am sure there are many different ideas and thoughts about this
subject out there - might we
hear yours pro or con on our introduction of the Peregrine in America?
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association
(COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/
mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org
Steve,
Thank you for the excellent summary of what man kind did to these wonderful
birds and how we at least learn something and attempted too, with a level of
success at this point, bring this incredible bird back to our skies! Your
knowledge has prompted me to wonder, maybe the introduce species is why
these birds so often nested on the tops of buildings or under bridges.
Peregrines nested in the Quabbin Reservoir in Central Massachusetts many
years ago before my time, but they nested on the cliffs from what I have
learned. Would I be accurate to conclude that the native Peregrine
instinctually nested on sides of cliffs but the reintroduced Peregrines
instinctively picked the highest point they felt safe on?
As the land was developed and more skyscrapers popped up, the birds became
opportunistic. Do you think that if humans hadn't introduced DDT, Peregrines
would still have started nesting in our big cities? Or could it be
considered selective process that came into effect when the Peregrines
interacted with humans? I guess selective process doesn't have an un-natural
element to it, DDT?
I know I truly appreciate a Peregrine when I see one even if it isn't a
totally native species too these parts, that is if you can see a blur!
Scott Ricker
Southwick, MA.
Ptbagger (at) Verizon (dot) net
-----Original Message-----
From: ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org
[mailto:ctbirds-bounces@lists.ctbirding.org] On Behalf Of Linda & Steve
Broker
Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2007 10:17 AM
To: Carrier Graphics
Cc: ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Subject: Re: [CT Birds] A question on Peregrines
Comments on Falco peregrinus anatum (Eastern Peregrine Falcon):
By the mid-1960s, Peregrine Falcons had been eliminated from the
United States as a breeding species (east of the Mississippi River,
perhaps also east of the Rocky Mountains). There is a very large
literature on the decline of peregrines as the direct result of DDT
poisoning and also egg-collecting and shooting. There was nothing
natural about the assaults and insults that peregrines faced through
the 19th and 20th centuries.
Four essential references on peregrines are:
(1) Cade, Tom J., and William Burnham, eds. 2003. Return of the
Peregrine: A North American Saga of Tenacity and Teamwork. Boise,
Idaho: The Peregrine Fund, 394pp.
(2) Ratcliffe, Derek. 1993. The Peregrine Falcon (Second Edition).
London: T & AD Poyser, 454pp.
(3) Cade, Tom J. et al. 1988. Peregrine Falcon populations: Their
Management and Recovery. Boise, Idaho: The Peregrine Fund, 949pp.
(4) Newton, Ian. 1979, 1997. Population Ecology of Raptors. London:
T & AD Poyser, 399pp.
There are many other important references on the subject of the
peregrine population crash and reintroduction of hybridized peregrine
subspecies into Eastern North America. The minimum estimate of
breeding pairs east of the Rockies prior to 1940 is 350-400 pairs,
with the possibility of two or three times this number being
present. In the forward to reference #3 above, Roger Peterson
writes, "By 1960 no one knew of a single active eyrie anywhere in the
northeastern United States."
The published information on peregrines in Connecticut indicates that
there were only four historic cliff sites where peregrines bred in
the state, all being trap rock ridges in the Central Valley Lowlands
of Connecticut. (See Zeranski, Joseph D., and Thomas R. Baptist.
1990. Connecticut Birds.) The first published description of a
peregrine nest in Connecticut (in fact, the first peregrine nest
discovered south of Labrador) was in 1861, but this site (Talcott
Mountain) was known to have breeding peregrines since 1850. The
literature also states that cliff breeding ceased by 1940 and that a
pair of peregrines nested with some success on The Travelers Tower
during the period 1943-1948. I have obtained some anecdotal
information that peregrines did breed at one trap rock ridge location
in Connecticut as late as 1952.
Since the late 1990s and as a result of captive breeding and release
of peregrines to the wild, peregrines have returned to Connecticut as
a breeding species. The first known breeding took place at The
Travelers Tower in 1997. (See the Connecticut DEP website for
extensive information on the return of peregrines to breeding status
in Connecticut.) Today, there are at least seven known nest sites in
the state, six of them on buildings or bridges and one on a cliff
face. I became interested in peregrines in 1999 when I discovered
the first attempts at nesting on a Connecticut cliff, between a fully
adult tiercel and a year old female. This same pair was present in
the 2000 breeding season, and on March 29, 2000 (at 2:45 P.M.) the
first peregrine egg was laid on a cliff in Connecticut in half a
century. All together, this cliff site has seen egg laying by
different pairs of peregrines in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, and 2007 - a
total of 17 eggs laid in the last nine years. Only four of these
eggs hatched (due to weather conditions, some predation, egg
sterility, and imperfect parental care), and only two peregrines have
fledged at this nest site, one in 2006 and one in 2007. Needless to
say, the recovery of breeding peregrines in Connecticut continues at
a slow pace.
The breeding peregrines I have observed for the past nine years had
themselves hatched out at Riverside Church (Manhattan), Water Street
(Manhattan), the Bayonne Bridge (Staten Island, NY-Bayonne, NJ),
Middletown, CT, Rumney, NH, and Providence, RI, and one bird (the
original female) was banded in migration at Assateague National
Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. There is now some regularity of
unpaired floater peregrines in the state during the breeding season,
also.
My study of peregrines in Connecticut has included a search of the
historical literature and of extant museum specimens, photographs,
and field notes. I hope to submit an article for The Connecticut
Warbler on the history of peregrine breeding in the state in the next
couple of years. A report on the cliff breeding peregrines will follow.
It's totally reasonable to discuss the pros and cons of the
reintroduction of mixed peregrine subspecies to the eastern United
States in order to replace a subspecies that was driven to extinction
(the eastern P. f. anatum). Increasingly, this is a central issue in
wildlife biology and conservation biology. But, for anyone who has
had the good fortune to observe these introduced but fully real and
incredibly beautiful and fascinating birds as they fly, perch, preen,
stoop, kill, feed, defend territory, pair bond, mate, construct
scrapes, lay eggs, attend young, and fledge young, the issue is a
very simple one. You either accept that the subspecies is forever
gone, or you take action (at huge time and expense) to restore as
best one can this always uncommon predator. The choice, for me, is
an easy one. The peregrines present in Connecticut today have
rewritten the way I spend my time.
Steve Broker
Cheshire
On Aug 29, 2007, at 10:57 PM, Carrier Graphics wrote:
A question on Peregrines -
To some, the re introduction of the Peregrine into parts of America
from where they were
extirpated by DDT and such other man induced poisons years past,
seemed to be a complete success.
However; some others believe this re introduction was not a
success, but a self serving project
that did not help in the total scheme of bringing back the birds we
as humans so blatantly
eradicated.
It was believed that many, if not some of the birds bred to replace
the indigenous Peregrines were
in fact alien subspecies obtained from other world countries, not
indigenous ones.
I would like to ask - what is your knowledge of these facts, and
with that, what is your thoughts
and feelings on what we have done to our ecosystem in regards to
this ( successful ) re introduction.
Should we have interfered with nature in doing this man induced
make good on what we had
ultimately caused; Or might we have recognized our errors and let
nature do what it does best, and
that is - adjust naturally?
I am sure there are many different ideas and thoughts about this
subject out there - might we
hear yours pro or con on our introduction of the Peregrine in America?
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association
(COA) for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit http://lists.ctbirding.org/
mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org
This list is provided by the Connecticut Ornithological Association (COA)
for the discussion of birds and birding in Connecticut.
For subscription information visit
http://lists.ctbirding.org/mailman/listinfo/ctbirds_lists.ctbirding.org