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Falcon Comeback
Science World, April 10, 2000
The American peregrine falcon may be nature's most audacious sky hunter. The bird dives faster than 320 kilometers (200 miles) per hour to strike flying prey with razor-sharp talons, swooping to grab its plunging meal in midair.
But by 1970, the falcon's dazzling hunting skills were a rare sight--less than 100 birds remained in all of North America. Now, 30 years of scientific research and controlled breeding have saved the peregrine falcon from the brink of extinction. By the end of 1999, the elusive raptor (bird of prey) was removed from the official endangered species list.
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Today falcon numbers exceed 4,000. And some peregrines thrive in a most unusual habitat--cities! These urban birds nest on skyscrapers and bridges, structures similar to mountainside cliffs where peregrines normally reside. New York, for example, with its large population of prey, like pigeons and sparrows, has become peregrine paradise.
Thirty years ago, the falcon nearly became extinct due to harmful agricultural pesticides like DDT. Insects ingest DDT, then are fed on by small birds, which in turn are consumed by peregrines. Stricter environmental laws controlling pesticide use have sparked the peregrine's comeback.
But the falcon's success is due mostly to the Peregrine Fund, a breeding project originated in 1970 by Tom Cade, a former professor of ornithology (bird science) at Cornell University. He borrowed pet falcons from falconers and successfully bred 20 birds within three years, releasing grown birds into the wild. Twenty-seven years later, almost 4,000 birds have been reintroduced into wild habitats. Go, falcons!
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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning
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