News: Canadian Peregrines

[Alison]

From the Padre Island Peregrine Falcon Survey

July 27 2015

We received a message from Sylvain Bourdages: "I'm sending you some info on a female peregrine that was banded on South Padre Island...that was recaptured in Clairmont, Alberta on 05/06/2015 with the band number 1687-26022. She was released and seemed to be doing fine. She did have a nasty scar on her right shoulder that seemed to have healed well but left quite a mark....here are a few pictures for you."

This falcon was originally captured and banded by Catherine Wightman on October 17, 2012 during her first passage south. It's great to hear she's doing well and probably now tending to her first brood somewhere north of Clairmont. Thanks for sharing the news, Sylvain!

Clairmont is a hamlet 5 kilometres north of Grande Prairie. It is about 2,800 miles from South Padre Island — a very long way to fly. I hope she is having a very successful breeding season.

 

https://www.facebook.com/PadreIslandPeregrines/posts/452374901589265

[The Peregrine Chick]

Falcons steer clear of Nik Wallenda
by Jayme Poisson and Graham Slaughter, The Toronto Star
15 June 2012

Nik Wallenda made his walk across the Falls falcon-free, eliminating the risk of being charged under the Endangered Species Act.

“They’re tucked in for the night at this hour because of all the night predators,” said Mark Nash of the Canadian peregrine foundation, noting that the falcons are especially wary of great horned owls.

Wallenda’s decision to postpone his walk until after sunset boded well for the falcons, which are listed under the Species at Risk registry.

“I guess if there was a best time for this monkey walk, this is it,” Nash said.

Anne Yagi from the province's Ministry of Natural Resources arrived at the Falls Friday afternoon. She, along with counterparts in the U.S., played the role of personal attachés to a pair of rare peregrine falcons and their four hatchlings.

The birds nest in the window of a closed Ontario Power Generation Station in the Niagara Gorge, about 200 metres below where Wallenda walked. The wire was strung up in the airspace the birds use to hunt for food.

“We did not approve this,” says Yagi of the MNR's position on the walk. The biologist said she spoke with Wallenda and asked him to postpone his stunt until September, when nesting season is over, but he decided to go ahead with it.

Yagi was escorted down into the gorge to monitor the birds during Wallenda’s walk. She had a scope and took pictures and notes to use as evidence in case the birds were hurt. New York State park biologists did the same thing on the other side.

Yagi said that when she explained to Wallenda that the birds could attack him, the stuntman responded by saying his parents often threw objects at him when he was training and he still stayed on the wire.

“Just because they're small doesn't mean they don't hit with force,” she said of the two-and-a-half-pound birds that can reach speeds of 360 kilometres per hour.

The female adult falcon is named Diamond and the male, Onyx.


Story & photos: Falcons steer clear of Nik Wallenda

I went hunting for this story because I was watching a YouTube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IURdqj6OSko) and thought I saw a bird fly past and around with a very falcon-like silhouette, but it sounds like must have been gulls or another long winged bird.

[Elaine L]

Edmonton's high level peregrines get new home

EDMONTON — A pair of peregrine falcons that have made their home on the High Level Bridge for the past three years were treated to two specially designed nests Thursday, courtesy of the Edmonton Fire Rescue technical team.

The team of 10 placed two wooden boxes safely under the bridge on the top of the centre concrete pillars. The nests were necessary to give the falcons a safe place to breed and raise their nestlings, said provincial wildlife biologist Gordon Court, who specializes in at-risk species. Since making the bridge's pillars their home, the pair have managed to raise only two nestlings.

"When the birds insist on using a structure and they fail every year, that's when we intervene," Court said. "The hatching success will definitely go up. There will be fewer losses due to snowstorms, rainstorms, that sort of thing."

Made out of simple plywood and some shingles for the roof, the approximately 23-kilogram boxes include a layer of gravel for the birds to rest on. They also feature metal bars across the opening to prevent Canada geese from moving in. Technical rescue team member Geoff Boulton suited up with all the necessary safety gear before making his first trip over the bridge's side.

"We rappelled off a building downtown much higher than this," he said. "This is fabulous, working with the team like this."

Capt. Scott Macdonald called the exercise just another day on the job for the team.

"It's just what we do every day on the technical rescue team," Macdonald said. "We'll send one guy down with all the safeties. He's going to lower that thing down, set it in place, and we'll bring him back up."

The team is deployed a few times a month to assist with technical rescues. Macdonald said the team regularly completes training exercises at a facility in the city's west end and at the University of Alberta. And while he said Thursday's exercise was out of the ordinary, it gave the team an opportunity to practise their skills. During the manoeuvre, at least one of the falcons began circling the bridge as Boulton secured the first box.

"That's a very good sign," Court said of the appearance. "They still want to own this bridge."

Court said that while a majority of peregrines in the province are found in Wood Buffalo National Park, about one-third commonly make their homes on tall buildings, power plants and bridges in urban or industrial areas in and around Edmonton and Calgary.

"The peregrine falcon is a perfect example of a bird that can tolerate an urban environment," Court said. "They like the height these places offer."

He added that the iconic bridge is an ideal nesting place for the birds because it offers them a secure environment where they're unlikely to bother people.

Most of the peregrines in the province disappeared from much of North America during the 1960s and '70s because of the pesticide DDT that damaged their eggs before the chicks could hatch. Today, there are 68 pairs of the birds across the province -- only two pairs away from removing them from their designation as an at-risk species.

"What you're seeing here with this pair on this bridge is an example of what we're hoping for birds breeding in the wild," Court said.

[Alison]

Kingston, Ontario

Injured falcon flies again
Posted By MICHAEL LEA, THE WHIG-STANDARD

An injured peregrine falcon, nursed back to health at a Napanee wildlife centre, was set free into the skies over Kingston again yesterday amid fears one of its main sources of food is being poisoned.

Sue Meech, director of the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre, brought the female raptor back to the city to release it near where it was injured in late March in a confrontation with an Ontario Street apartment building.

She warned the bird's future health could depend on stopping whoever has been putting out the chemical Avitrol to rid the downtown of one of the falcon's favourite meals -- pigeons.

Meech said two pigeons suffering from the effects of the chemical have been brought to her centre.

"If people have only brought in two that are still alive there are probably a hundred out there that have been killed," she said.

She explained Avitrol is not designed to kill pigeons but to confuse them so they will fly around in circles emitting distress calls.

"It's supposed to scare all the other pigeons away," she said, "(but) if it's not mixed properly or if a pigeon eats too much then the pigeon dies.

"It's a horrible death."

She said the danger to the falcon would come from eating pigeons contaminated with the chemical. "They die," she said.

Meech's fear for the falcon's future was tempered by the pleasure of watching it fly away on two healthy wings yesterday.

The bird was brought to the waterfront next to the Pump House Steam Museum in a cardboard box covered by a small blanket. Once the covering was removed, the falcon swept low over the grass and soared up into the sky.

Another of those watching was Carolyn Teeple, who first saw the falcon coming towards her building at 135 Ontario St. in late March and thought it was landing on her 15th floor balcony.

When she went to check on it, it appeared to want to take off again but couldn't.

"After a while I went out with two oven mitts and a big towel to see if it was injured but it just went down into the crevice between the deck and the glass railing."

"So I started phoning. I was a little bit annoyed because I went through the phone book and phoned everybody I could find."

She said a half hour later what appeared to be the bird's mate came along, sat for a few minutes, and then flew off again.

The bird remained trapped and obviously injured for about two hours, she said.

Connie Black, a Kingston volunteer for the wildlife centre, was called to rescue the falcon after the wildlife centre learned of the situation from the Kingston Humane Society.

"We suspect it was chasing another bird and it probably struck the building and landed on (Teeple's) balcony," said Black.

"It managed to get itself stuck between the concrete and the glass. Luckily I managed to pull it out of the gap."

She said the bird had struggled for at least two hours to free itself.

"It looked worse than it really was. The whole one wing was scraped so there was a lot of blood and there was bruising on the body as well."

Black, who is licensed to care for migratory birds, took the falcon home and then transported it to the wildlife centre the following morning.

"I just made it comfortable and let it rest because she was exhausted. This was the first peregrine I ever handled and I hear they are supposed to be quite feisty but she had been fighting so long she wasn't feisty any more at all."

Meech said the bird had been beating her wings on the stone to try to free herself and badly scraped the leading edge of one wing. The wound was cleaned and the bird was eventually introduced to the wildlife centre's aviary where she soon took flight again.

One exciting aspect to the temporary confinement came when the falcon laid an egg.

"She probably has laid several before she came in and hopefully she will be laying some more now," Meech said. "Then she will be raising some young ones in the city."

But only if she doesn't come in contact with Avitrol, she said.

"As long as people don't put that poison down and the bird doesn't eat a poisoned pigeon then we should be okay."

http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2531195

There is a video and a great photo of the falcon at the link.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Nova Scotia names five new species at risk
The Globe & Mail – 10 October 2007

The Nova Scotia government is adding three birds and two plants to its list of species that are considered at risk in the province.  The birds that were added to the list Wednesday are the red knot, chimney swift and common nighthawk.  The red knot is a medium-sized shorebird whose population in Canada has declined by 70 per cent in the past 15 years – with a similar decline recorded in Nova Scotia.  The chimney swift was added to the endangered list, while the common nighthawk is classified as threatened. 

The plants that were added to the list are the ram's-head lady slipper – a small orchid that grows in open forests – and the rockrose – a herb with yellow flowers.  The ram's-head lady slipper, now found in just six places in Nova Scotia, has been listed as endangered.  The rockrose is also listed as endangered.

Meanwhile, the government announced that the province's peregrine falcon population has successfully recovered, although it is remains on the vulnerable list.  The falcons are now nesting on cliffs along the Bay of Fundy. From 1955 to 1995, no nesting peregrine falcons were seen in Nova Scotia.  “I am encouraged by the interest and concern that Nova Scotians show for species at risk,” Natural Resources Minister David Morse said in a statement.  To ensure their survival, we need to continue to work together, on both Crown land and private land. Downgrading the risk status of the peregrine falcon shows what we can accomplish together.”

A total of 41 species are now listed under the Endangered Species Act in Nova Scotia.  The peregrine falcon remains on the vulnerable list, because it is still too early to conclude that it is no longer threatened.  Federal and provincial law helps protect threatened and endangered species by prohibiting activities that could disturb or destroy the species or their habitat.Laws includes fines for anyone caught harming species or their habitat.  

To view rest of the original article ... Nova Scotia names five new species at risk

[The Peregrine Chick]

Falcons return to Fundy
The Globe & Mail - 7 September 2004

More than a half-century after the majestic peregrine falcon vanished from along the Fundy coast, the threatened species is back and thriving in near-record numbers. Seeing a precious peregrine soaring in flight makes its comeback seem nothing short of miraculous. It was no wildlife wonder that returned them to these parts, but rather a carefully choreographed recovery effort that worked so seamlessly no one really talks about it, said Diane Amirault, head of the Canadian Wildlife Services species-at-risk program. When baby falcons reared in captivity were methodically released into the wild in the 1980s, biologists such as Ms. Amirault prayed that five pairs would nest and reproduce along the Fundy coast, where at the turn of the century peregrines were at their peak with a dozen pairs nesting along the cliffs from Fundy National Park to Grand Manan Island. This summer, Canadian Wildlife Services tallied nine peregrine pairs in New Brunswick and seven across the bay in Nova Scotia.

"Even going up one pair in New Brunswick is a very big deal," Ms. Amirault said. "We are making good progress. We met our recovery target in about 1990, but they are back in the last couple of years like we have really never seen them."  When park warden George Sinclair began working in Fundy National Park in 1975 there was not a peregrine to be seen in the lush, glorious woodland. The park opened in 1950, two years after the last peregrines were spotted at Point Wolfe. By 1955 the falcons had also disappeared from Nova Scotia's Bay area.  Contamination from pesticides that were eventually banned in the late 1970s had wiped them out, making it nearly impossible for peregrines to reproduce. DDT caused females to lay eggs so thin they were often crushed during incubation and the poison prompted parent peregrines to devour their young.  

To view rest of the original article ... Falcons return to Fundy

[The Peregrine Chick]

Environment Minister Jim Prentice Announces Investment for Wildlife Conservation Projects in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
Marketwire/Environment Canada - 20 March 2009

Canada's Environment Minister Jim Prentice today announced an investment from the Government of Canada's Habitat Stewardship Program in four conservation projects in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick that will protect important wildlife and their habitats.

"We have awarded funding to four Maritime organizations for special habitat stewardship initiatives because wildlife conservation remains a top priority for the Government of Canada during the current tough economic period," said Minister Prentice.  "Today's announcement demonstrates our Government's continuing commitment to conserving and protecting our environment for the benefit of all Canadians" said Minister Prentice.

The Nova Scotia Nature Trust is receiving $170,000 for a project to secure and protect critical habitat areas for species at risk in southwest Nova Scotia. The Governors of Acadia University are receiving $135,000 for various initiatives to protect the Blandings turtle and the eastern ribbon snake. The Nature Trust of New Brunswick is receiving $123,000 for conservations efforts regarding the Peregrine falcon. And the Canadian Sea Turtle Network in Halifax is receiving $110,000 for a project for the conservation of the leatherback sea turtle. All of the species the four projects will help conserve are currently listed as endangered, threatened or "of special concern". This represents a total federal contribution of $538,000.

To date this fiscal year the Government of Canada has committed $11.3 million in funding to 205 projects in communities across Canada through the Habitat Stewardship Program. The Program contributes to the recovery of endangered, threatened and other species at risk while also preventing species from becoming a conservation concern. It is a partnership-based conservation initiative managed by Environment Canada, Fisheries & Oceans Canada and Parks Canada.

For more information about the Habitat Stewardship Program and about the four Maritimes projects announced today, please see the related media backgrounders.  

To view the original article including photos ...
Env Min Jim Prentice Announces Investment for Wildlife Conservation Projects in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick  

[carly]

Protecting the peregrine By Jodi Lundmark, tbnewswatch.com  

MNR manager of protection and species at risk, Jason Travers, said the peregrine falcon is found in both urban and natural environments.

New regulations protecting the habitat of several of Ontario’s endangered species, including the peregrine falcon, take effect later this month.

The Ministry of Natural Resources Thursday hosted an open house at the Victoria Inn to share the new regulations with the public and let them know what this could mean for individuals and what can be done to protect the peregrine falcon.

Manager of protection and species at risk Jason Travers said the rules were developed to ensure peregrines are sustained across Ontario’s landscape since the bird is found in both urban and natural environments.

"They nest all over the place in terms of cliff faces in Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury and even in Ottawa and Toronto, you can find them on hotel buildings in downtown," he said. "Those are actually protected as well under the regulations, not just the natural cliff faces you might find in Thunder Bay. Anywhere you find the peregrine falcon, they’re protected."

While the falcon’s habitat is protected, that doesn’t mean people can’t do regular activities in those areas, Travers said.

"It doesn’t mean you can’t re-shingle your roof or put an addition on your house; it just means big items within that area including any activity that’s sort of larger than your space you might occupy already," he said. "It’s about when you change the landscape significantly."

The regulations mean you can’t damage or destroy the habitat, but that can be different depending on the location.

"These sessions are happening across Ontario to work with all affected individuals or interested folks because one activity might not have the same impact in the same location on the same type of species," Travers said.

"It’s about the big pieces," he added. "The little things about what you’re doing around your house or in terms of farming, that’s not the issue."


From the MNR website.

Peregrine Falcon Habitat:
Peregrine Falcons (threatened) nest on high steep cliff ledges close to large bodies of water and on structures such as tall buildings and bridges.  Although Peregrine Falcons now nest in and around Toronto and several other southern Ontario cities, the majority of Ontario’s breeding population is found around Lake Superior in northern Ontario.  The regulated habitat for Peregrine Falcon protects natural cliff faces that are at least 15 metres high and that are being used or have been used by Peregrine Falcon for nesting within the past 15 years, plus a 1 kilometre area around the cliff face.  Nesting sites located on an artificial cliff face (e.g., steep rock cut, open pit mine) are protected while the nesting site is being used.  In addition, nesting sites on structures (such as buildings and bridges) that are being used or have been used by Peregrine Falcon for nesting within the last 2 years, and the area on the outside surface that is within 10 metres of the nesting site are protected, as are areas within 200 metres of these nesting sites that are habitually used by Peregrine Falcon (e.g. for roosting, plucking, or perching).  

[Alison]

Peregrine Falcon Soars to Freedom  (Aug 2009)

After a stint hunting and scaring off gulls at a city landfill, a once-injured nine-year-old peregrine falcon was sent soaring into Edmonton's sunny skies yesterday.

About eight years ago, Val was found in Saskatchewan with a broken wing. Falconer Jim Kroshus worked with her to bring her back to health.  Once Val was rehabilitated, she was used in Waste Management Canada's gull abatement program at the West Edmonton Landfill.

Val, with about a dozen other birds, helped control the landfill's exploding gull population - which last year exceeded 250,000. The gulls became a nuisance in and around the landfill due to their sheer numbers - leaving droppings and molting feathers everywhere.

Val's handlers thought she was strong enough to be released back into the wild now that she has experience hunting gulls.

'BITTERSWEET MOMENT'

"It's a bittersweet moment," said Steve Schwartze, a falconer, before helping to release the bird near the landfill yesterday. "We're getting to let a peregrine be a peregrine rather than be in captivity."

From her handler's arm, Val was released and flew across the field before landing on a hill next to 170 Street. Schwartze said Val would probably sit there and scope out the area for a while.

He was optimistic the bird would eventually find a mate. There are currently nine active mating peregrine falcon pairs in the city, Schwartze said.

The gull program, launched in the spring of last year, sees four to six falcons working at the landfill at one time. Since then, the number of gulls at the site has decreased significantly.

Another falcon, 70-day-old Jenna, is also being trained for use at the landfill.

Lucas Stadlwieser, 3, petted the squawking bird. "I was a little bit scared -- the noise was a bit much," said Stadlwieser.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2009/08/31/10683961-sun.html

Photos of Val's release ... courtesy of Carly who originally posted the story but we lost the link ...
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2009/08/30/10680866.html

[Alison]

Yes all the organizations that were bequeathed birds were reputable, licenced and had long histories or at least their people did.  And yes, if the bird is to be used for education or as an ambassador or whatever, the organization, centre and staff have to be fully qualified.  Just because a peregrine is in captivity doesn't mean they aren't still afforded legal protection from the various levels of government. 

That's good to know. I do hope that CPF has increased its level of security; I remember a few years ago when one of their peregrines, Tarah, was stolen.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Yes all the organizations that were bequeathed birds were reputable, licenced and had long histories or at least their people did.  And yes, if the bird is to be used for education or as an ambassador or whatever, the organization, centre and staff have to be fully qualified.  Just because a peregrine is in captivity doesn't mean they aren't still afforded legal protection from the various levels of government. 

[carly]

Hope it helped 

Yes it did.  I didn't realize though that you could just give someone - well not someone but an organization a falcon like that.  Admittedly I haven't much knowledge about that - I just remember reading that you had to have a falconers license in order to purchase one so it kind of surprised me.  But maybe they do as they do have a teaching facility and keep all kinds of birds there.   

[carly]

Thanks TPC.   

[The Peregrine Chick]

Wainwright isn't in operation anymore for breeding peregrines unfortunately.  When the facililty shut down, a committee was formed to decide where the breeding birds should go - including the place where we got the two chicks we tried fostering here in 2008.  So CPF would have gotten Nova, and probably Qtesh depending on when they got her, from one of the centres the original Wainwright birds were bequeathed to.  Does that make sense?

As for breeding for the wild, yes, birds are still available for release to the wild, just not as many and they are not inexpensive (and never were).  As for Nova being pure anatum, my guess would be yes, but I don't know enough about him to be sure about that.  I may find out more later as I'm working on a wee genealogical puzzle at the moment and hope to talk to some of the former Wainwright folks this winter.

[carly]

Yes I agree with you on that one.  I didnt' think they were still running a breeding facility out there - maybe TPC could tell us what is going on there?  I know they don't breed them to release in the wild anymore, do they breed them for falconry??  I was confused as well.  And my guess is that he's probably pure Anatum as well as that's what Qetesh was and where she came from all those years ago - Qetesh was originally part of the breeding program when it was running all those years ago.