Pennsylvania to remove peregrine falcon from threatened species list

After reintroducing and protecting the peregrine falcon for more than 40 years, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is in the process of removing the world’s fastest animal from threatened status.

Pesticides decimated the entire population of peregrines in the Eastern United States by the mid-1960s. Previously, the charismatic raptor that can dive faster than 200 mph was listed as a federal and state endangered species.

“There is no question the population has recovered to the point where it is secure and is stable,” said Art McMorris, the peregrine falcon coordinator for the commission. “We regard this as a fantastic success, and it illustrates that an endangered species listing is not an end point: It’s a call to arms with a ‘to-do list.’”

There were about 44 pairs of peregrine falcons before they disappeared from Pennsylvania in the first half of the 20^th century.

Currently, there are at least 73 pairs in the state, McMorris said.

The region received an unexpected bonus: The re-introduction of the bird created a population of peregrines where they didn’t exist before — Southwestern Pennsylvania.

There are at least seven pairs of peregrines that nested this year in the Pittsburgh area including the Tarentum Bridge, the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning, in Downtown Pittsburgh, and most recently, the 62^nd Street Bridge in Sharpsburg.

Before their population crash, there was only one nesting recorded in the region: Jacobs Creek, near Smithton, in Westmoreland County about a century ago, McMorris said.

Since these raptors hunt on the wing, they prefer cliffs for breeding and catching prey in mid-air.

With the help of a foundation, The Peregrine Fund, the game commission re-introduced young birds three times in the state.

The first round in the 1970s was unsuccessful as the young birds were placed in their natural breeding area, cliffs. Without parents to protect them, though, the youngsters were picked off by the powerful nocturnal predator, the great-horned owl, McMorris said.

So the strategy to re-introduce the birds shifted to cliff-like landscapes where great-horned owls didn’t live: cities with skyscrapers and towns with tall structures.

It worked. The birds were safe — and ate well.

“If you wanted to design a bird ideal for peregrine falcon prey, you would design the pigeon,” McMorris said.

In Southwestern Pennsylvania, all of the peregrines nest on man-made structures, notably bridges and tall buildings.

But success in the cities and towns come at a price.

The survival rate for young peregrines is much lower than natural cliff areas because they get hit by cars, fall into rivers and slam into buildings.

The game commission considered the loss of young urban birds, assigning urban peregrine couples one-fourth the value of pair of cliff-nesting peregrines. Nonetheless, enough city birds survived to contribute to the state’s general peregrine population.

The state numbers grew not only for urban populations but cliff dwelling peregrines rebounded to the current 22 pair in the eastern and central parts of the state, McMorris said.

In total, the peregrine population hit and exceeded population standards set by the game commission four years in a row, McMorris said.

Besides reintroducing young peregrines to the state, the commission tracked all known nests, tagged many of the young and protected nest sites from intrusions. McMorris worked with more than 250 volunteers to monitor the falcons statewide.

“We have brought the population back to the point where it is secure and it has recovered,” said McMorris. “They don’t need extra help from humans anymore.”

Peregrines still protected

But that doesn’t mean that the birds aren’t protected. Federal and state laws still prohibit people from killing or harassing the birds and destroying their nests.

The game commission board’s unanimous vote last week kicks off the de-listing process that will likely see final approval by the end of the year.

“Adoption of the change would mark the third high-profile raptor recovery in Pennsylvania, following the delisting of the bald eagle and osprey — demonstrating that placing a species on the endangered or threatened list is not a permanent designation, and recovery is an achievable goal,” said Travis Lau, commission spokesman.

Residents who want to send comments about the commission’s proposed delisting of the peregrine falcon can send an email to peregrine@pa.gov during the 30-day comment period, which will be announced soon by the commission. The board’s next meetings are set for Sept. 10 and 11.