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Peregrines (1 Viewer)

Jeff Taylor

Well-known member
:t: Hi There
UK & Isle of man,peregrine falcon numbers have increased by 9%
to a new high of:1,402 pairs since 1991.
See Octobers issue of Bird-Watching magazine for more info.

Regards
Jeff Taylor
 
No surprises there, I can name several nest sites within a hundred miles of my home in Hampshire UK.
Just a few years ago there were none, the welcome return of a stunning raptor, long may it continue.

Rich
 
This was a report that I originally posted on the 9th September.

The peregrine falcon is extinct as a breeding species in Shetland, according to research.
A study by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) during 2002 suggests there has been a significant decline in peregrines in northern and western Scotland.

Experts are puzzled at the decline in the Highlands and Argyll, where numbers have fallen by 30% since the last survey in 1991.

Food shortages, unproductive moorland, changing weather and the effects of pesticides in the food chain are all thought to have contributed to the fall in numbers.

The peregrine falcon population has increased in southern parts of Scotland and England.

Research needed

It is estimated there were 1,402 pairs of peregrines breeding in the UK and the Isle of Man in 2002 - a 9% increase on 1991.

But northern Scotland has lost most of its falcon population and experts say they need more time to find out why this is the case.

The Scottish Raptor Monitoring Group (SRMG) has begun a review of the species in Scotland.

Professor Des Thompson, chair of SRMG, said it was too early to explain the decline.

'Barometer of health'

He said: "We are very concerned to learn of the losses in the north and west of Scotland.

"Clearly we need more research to try to discover the reasons behind the differing fortunes of peregrines in different parts of Scotland."

RSPB Scotland's Duncan Orr-Ewing said the species serves as "a barometer of the environment's health" and any decline is worrying.

The first survey into the UK's peregrine falcon population took place in 1961 and has been repeated every decade since.

RSPB Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) both contributed to the survey.

Elsewhere in the UK, north Wales suffered a 15% decline in its peregrine population while Northern Ireland has witnessed a 12% fall.

Billy Boy
 
Yes it does seem surprising, as they are defiantly increasing in the south.
I am not to familiar with their status abroad. Do they occur in all habitats, from mountains and moorland to the city centres in other parts of the world?

I only ask (and I really don't know) but I wonder if this decline in Scotland etc, is a result of peregrines having more confidence in man and moving into the city centres and away from the open country.
It seems strange to say, but perhaps they are less at risk in towns than in areas where they risk direct persecution from gamekeepers.

Billy Boy said:
Food shortages, unproductive moorland, changing weather and the effects of pesticides in the food chain are all thought to have contributed to the fall in numbers.


The above possible contributory factors to the fall in numbers would be less so in towns.
In the south they are nesting on Cathedrals, pylons, office blocks and Chimneys etc.
So maybe the decline is in fact just a move from open country into the city centres, Peregrines are opportunists, and take a wide range of prey, they have little trouble adapting (as a species) to a different habitats.

The one that stands out on the list is 'Food shortages' essential for survival of course, this is never a problem in the city centres. I local pair to me last year raised four young; (not sure about this year) they have an endless supply of pigeons (which breed all year round) though remains found in the nest covered a variety of species including several different waders.

Like I say I don't know but I think as a species Peregrines are doing ok, perhaps they are adapting to take advantage of different situations which now suit them better.

Are there Peregrines in Scottish Towns?

Rich
 
I have never seen a Peregrine, but have heard of a couple of places where they nest locally...

In an office block in Croydon!!

plus...

I was watching the cricket from the Kensington Oval a few weeks back and the commentators were remarking about the relative lack of pigeons. Richie Benaud (I think) said that he thought this was because of the Peregrines which are nesting in the remains of Battersea Power Station!!


RGds.... Ruby
 
I'm not too sure about their situation abroad but over here their habitat is pretty varied. They will nest on crags or other rock faces, sea cliffs, offshore islands, quarries and on buildings in towns. They will Winter on Marshes, estuaries and farmland, particularly in the east.

The food chain has been mentioned as has the persecution from gamekeepers, but they were also targeted by egg collectors but with better legal protection they are slightly recovering from the low of the 1960's.

Some birds, particularly females and juveniles, move away from the uplands in autumn.

There can never be a food shortage for Peregrines in town or country because of the amount of pigeons there are.

Billy Boy
 
Billy Boy said:


I'm not too sure about their situation abroad but over here their habitat is pretty varied. They will nest on crags or other rock faces, sea cliffs, offshore islands, quarries and on buildings in towns. They will Winter on Marshes, estuaries and farmland, particularly in the east.

Precisely, and what I am guessing is that nesting in towns in fact affords them more protection from Gamekeepers, egg collectors, pesticides in the food chain and so on. Being adaptable in both their habitat and food supply they will naturally thrive where they have food and fewer dangers to face and gradually decline in areas where they are persecuted or other factors put there existence at risk.

Billy Boy said:

The food chain has been mentioned as has the persecution from gamekeepers, but they were also targeted by egg collectors but with better legal protection they are slightly recovering from the low of the 1960's.

DDT (highly effective nerve poison) hit Peregrines among other bird of Prey hard in the sixties, as it made the eggshells thin and liable to crack but also effected the birds themselves. Peregrine would not pull out of dives early enough etc. As you say Peregrines and birds of prey are 'Barometers of health' any poison in the food chain eventually shows itself at the top (apex predator).

The unfortunate truth with egg collectors is that the rarer a bird the more value the egg is, and so they (the scum) will take more risk's to get them and further contribute to the decline. I don't believe this is nearly the problem it was. I believe they have made a huge recover since the sixties.

Billy Boy said:

There can never be a food shortage for Peregrines in town or country because of the amount of pigeons there are.

That depend how many Peregrines there are ;-) ;)

Regards

Rich
 
Hi Spar,

Didn't know about the origin of the Lancs building-nesting Perrys - it makes good sense, and I guess explains perhaps why NE Perrys haven't taken to nesting on buildings, the Lancs ones haven't colonised this far yet.

The only pair to try so far (on a disused coal silo at Blyth Power Station) failed, due to torrential rain flooding the nest ledge the first year, and the second year probably (not confirmed) to a Fulmar pair staking claim to the site (one of the adults disappeared too, possibly Fulmar-oiled, possibly shot by pigeon fanciers, no-one knows). The silo has been demolished now, so no further opportunities there.

Michael
 
I've watched several pairs of peregrines this year around my part of Devon, it's been fantastic! When I was young (I'm thinking 30 yrs ago) I used to dream of being able to go out and virtually guarentee seeing a peregrine - I had to go to Aviemore to see my first one, on a crag behind the winter sports centre - I can still remember it to this day! Anyway to my main point. Has anyone looked at the website of the Songbird Survival (www.songbird-survival.org.uk)? - There's a lot of very misguided and unpleasant stuff about raptors - peregrines and spars in particular. I find it unbelievable that people could profess to be bird lovers and still advocate the artificial control of raptors in the UK!
 
Hi Leigh,

'songbird survival' is a front organisation for pigeon fanciers and shooting estate owners / gamekeepers - people with a strong anti-raptor vested interest. Their aim is to try to get the public turned against raptors so they can campaign for their legal protection to be removed.

Michael
 
"Experts are puzzled at the decline in the Highlands and Argyll, where numbers have fallen by 30% since the last survey in 1991".

I can only speak from experience of Mid-Argyll, but in this area I too have noticed a decline in Peregrine numbers. I used to live almost in the shadow of a huge rock face where Peregrines once nested almost every year - it's five or six years since they last nested there. I worked outdoors when I lived in Argyll and saw Peregrines almost. I've just returned from Argyll - in ten days or so I saw two, this at a time when Peregrines are on passage and are usually highly visible. Part of the reason for this decline may be down to the huge increase in sheep numbers at the cost of arable farming. The glen in which I used to live was an area of mixed farming - barley, oats, potatoes, neeps and beef cattle, the sheep tended to be confined to the hill. Now there is no arable farming whatsoever and few cattle. The fields are now inhabited by pin rushes and sheep. Bird numbers, particularly Peregrine quarry such as woodies, jackdaws, rooks, winter thrushes and ducks, have dropped dramatically. Peregrines rarely hunt the glen anymore, most of my sightings are on lochs and estuaries. Many nesting sites have been surrounded by commercial forestry, causing the Peregrines to desert sites that have been used for many generations. Gamekeepers in Mid-Argyll don't tend to be a problem as there are few - if any - grouse moors, and - judging from the amount of insect life and wildflowers - pesticides and weedkillers aren't the problem either. My only hope is that Peregrines don't follow the trend of Merlins in the area, I now see more of them on the Fylde coast in winter than I do in Argyll. Twenty or thirty years ago I saw Merlins almost daily out on the hill in summer or in the glen or on the estuaries in winter - unfortunately, I can't remember the last time I saw one up there.

saluki
 
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