THE PEREGRINE FUND WORLD CENTER FOR BIRDS OF PREY • 2005 ANNUAL REPORT • Working to Conserve Birds of Prey in Nature THE PEREGRINE FUND STAFF THE PEREGRINE FUND • WORLD CENTER FOR BIRDS OF PREY The organization’s business-related activities are supported by Pat Burnham (Administrator), Cindy Thiel and Donna Daniels (Book- keepers), and Sherri Haley (Secretary/Receptionist). Linda Behrman is our Membership Director and manages our web site. Joell Brown coordinates our fund raising activities. Amy Siedenstrang is our art Board of Directors Update . .1 director. UNITED STATES Northern Aplomado Falcon Restoration . .2 Linda Behrman Tim Hauck Cathie Nigro Sue Bello Michael Haynes Trish Nixon Roger Benefield Bill Heinrich Chris Parish California Condor Program . .4 Joell Brown Grainger Hunt Nick Piccono Joe Burke J. Peter Jenny Travis Rosenberry T. Halter Cunningham 1922-2005 . .6 Bill Burnham Leslie Jonart Cal Sandfort Kurt K. Burnham Paul Juergens Amy Siedenstrang The Archives of Falconry . .7 Pat Burnham Meagan Kaiser Cindy Thiel Jack Cafferty Lloyd Kiff Russell Thorstrom Student Education Program . .8 Emma Christensen Thom Lord Randy Townsend David Cline Michael Maglione Rick Watson Donna Daniels David McGraw David Wells Research Library . .8 Sam Davila Angel Montoya Eric Weis Cameron Ellis Amel Mustic Jim Willmarth Captive Breeding at the World Center for Birds of Prey . .9 Edward Feltes Brian Mutch Brian Gloshen Jenny Myers Archivist Education Program . .10 Sherri Haley Frank Nebenburgh S. Kent Carnie INTERNATIONAL STAFF Arctic Program . .12 Madagascar Panama Asia Tolojanahary R. A. Aracely Abrego Muhammad Asim Neotropical Raptor Conservation Program . .14 Andriamalala Eloy Aripio Faisal Farid Yves Rakotonirina Edwin Campbell Pan Africa Raptor Conservation Program . .24 Andriamanarivo Calixto Conampia Pan Africa Adrien Batou Marta Curti Simon Thomsett Be Berthin Asia-Pacific Raptor Conservation Program . .30 Sean Davis Munir Virani Noël Augustin Bonhomme Omar Fernández Razafimahatratra Briceño Flaco Financials and Donors . .33 Christophe Próspero Gaitán Eloi (Lala) Fanameha Margarita Gordon Eugene Ladoany Noel Guerra Kalavah Rox Loukman Yanina Guevara Jules Mampiandra Kathia Herrera Moïse Edwin Jiménez Charles (Vola) Rabearivelo Magaly Linares Jeanneney Rabearivony José de Los Santos Berthine Rafarasoa López Norbert (Velo) Priscilla Maloney Rajaonarivelo Gabriel Jeannette Rajesy Minguizama Marius P. H. Rodolfo Mosquera Rakotondratsima Angel Muela Gaston Raoelison Julio Ovispo Bien Aimé Rasolonirina Rogelio Peña Gilbert Razafimanjato Bolívar Rodríguez Joseph Razafindrasolo Fidel Sabúgara Jacquot Martial (Lova) Saskia Santamaría Razanakoto José de Jesús Vargas Lily-Arison Rene de Roland Mark Watson Seing The Sam Gilbert Tohaky ©2006 Edited by Bill Burnham and Pat Burnham. Jack Cafferty, Photo Editor. Design ©2006 by Amy Siedenstrang. Thanks to Robert Bateman and Mill Pond Press, Inc. for cover artwork. Production costs donated by members of the Board of Directors of The Peregrine Fund. trong leadership is critical to an organization’s success, and The SPeregrine Fund’s Board of Directors has continued to provide this leadership since the organization began in 1970. During the fall 2005 meeting of the Board of Directors, Ian Newton, former Vice Chairman, was elected as the new Chairman of the Board. The organization is for- tunate to have had six Chairmen of the Board all with strong enthusiasm and desire to help the organization continue to succeed and Ian Newton will no doubt continue this tradition in his new role. OARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE Outgoing Chairman of the Board Paxson H. Offield is to be com- Kurt K. Burnham B mended on his three-year term and devotion to his leadership role dur- ing this time. Mr. Offield was always there to lend a helping hand and help out with whatever was needed and the organization is indebted for his dedication and kindness. Like all the previous Chairmen, Paxson Offield definitely left a lasting impression on The Peregrine Fund. Ian Newton has played an integral role with the organization’s Board of Directors since 1988. His background includes D.Phil. and D.Sc. degrees from Oxford University, and numerous academic and civil awards. He has written several books and more than 300 scientific papers on birds, and performed research on raptors, finches, and water- fowl. He is the former President of the British Ornithologists’ Union, former President of the British Ecological Society, Honorary Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union, and is currently the Chairman of the Council for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in the United Kingdom. Kurt K. Burnham Elected as the new Vice Chairman of the Board was Lee M. Bass, with Ian Newton (above) has worked with numerous species of birds from temperate environments to the Arctic. Karen J. Hixon continuing as Treasurer and D. James Nelson fulfilling Below, he and Bill Burnham survey cliffs in Northwest Greenland. the role of Secretary. The organization would not be where it is today without the support and direction of all our members of the Board of Directors and we thank them for their dedication. 1 NORTHERN APLOMADO FALCON RESTORATION The Northern Aplomado Falcon (Falco femoralis South Texas and are now concentrating all of our septentrionalis) once occupied a significant portion release efforts in West Texas. Our overall success rate of the American Southwest. Often hunting coopera- for this year resulted in 116 (84%) falcons success- tively as a pair, this strikingly beautiful falcon feeds fully reaching independence. A total of 1,142 cap- on medium-sized birds, insects, and bats. Prior to tive-bred falcons have now been released in Texas, the 1930s this species was regarded as fairly com- and during the previous five years 357 of 538 (66%) mon throughout the humid coastal savannas of falcons released became independent. Texas and Taumalipas, Mexico, and the more xeric Mortality factors after release remained much the interior grasslands. Over 100 egg sets were collected same as in previous years. This included premature in southern Texas between 1888 and 1915 which dispersal and predation by Great Horned Owls and serves as an indication coyotes. We did not experience the predation prob- GOAL of how common this lem encountered last year with the immature Establish a self-sustaining species once was. Peregrine Falcon. Peregrine Falcons were present Populations of the again this year but the Aplomado Falcons were older population of Aplomado Northern Aplomado and more agile when the Peregrines were present. Falcons in the south- Falcon began to decline We did, however, have problems with Northern western United States during the first half of Harriers harassing the young falcons, causing them and northern New the Twentieth Century. to disperse prematurely. The presence of Northern Mexico through captive Prior to reintroduction Harriers in West Texas at this time of year was rather propagation, release, and efforts in Texas, the last unusual and was perhaps the result of the uncharac- known breeding of this teristically high rodent population. management with the species within the Monitoring the Developing Population in ultimate goal of removing United States occurred South Texas—In 1995, biologists recorded the first this species from the near Deming, New pair of Aplomado Falcons to breed in Texas in more Endangered Species List. Mexico, in 1952. After than half a century. These birds were captive-bred this time, no Aplo- young released by The Peregrine Fund. For the 2005 mado Falcon population was known to exist in the season, this population had increased to at least 44 U.S. until breeding pairs became established in pairs. We are confident that more pairs would have 1995 as a result of reintroduction efforts. been located had we been able to expand our search The Northern Aplomado Falcon is the last falcon area outside of the Matagorda and Laguna Atascosa species on the Endangered Species List. National Wildlife Refuges. Unfortunately, this was not possible due to time and personnel constraints. RESULTS The continued increase in nesting success This season 140 young were produced from 36 observed in falcons provided with artificial nest Bruce D. Taubert Recently fledged wild Aplomado Falcon in South Texas. pairs of falcons. Two young were held back to aug- structures encouraged us to put up additional struc- ment the captive breeding population in Boise, Idaho, tures prior to this year’s nesting season. Even more now totaling 46 pairs. The current number of pairs significant is the 88% annual survival rate that we will allow us to continue releasing between 100 and have recorded in the adult breeding population. 140 falcons per year. The question is often asked why we have not A total of 138 Aplomado Falcons were released at found more pairs when over 1,000 falcons have been six sites on private ranches in the trans-Pecos region released. The answer is natural attrition. In the best in Texas during the 2005 field season. For the first of circumstances, with natural parents to protect time in over a decade, we did not release falcons in and guide their fledglings, raptors typically lose 65% 2 STAFF Director, Peter Jenny; Coordina- tor, Bill Heinrich; Captive Breed- ing, Cal Sandfort, Emma Chris- tensen, and Travis Rosenberry; Field, Brian Mutch, Angel Mon- toya, Paul Juergens, and Erin Gott; and Senior Scientist, Grainger Hunt. HACK SITE ATTENDANTS Keely Arnold, Therese Catanach, Left: Artificial nest struc- John Coffman, Megan Connor, tures help reduce mor- Melanie Fischer, Amanda Gladics, Sarah Goodwin, Dayna Hawes, tality caused by raccoons Justin Jones, Sam Joyce, Christina and other predators. Kleberg, Ashley Linscott, Christo- pher McClure, Chasidy Simplot, and Matthew Stuber. Right: Paul Juergens COOPERATORS records data about the We cooperate with the U.S. Fish size and health of a and Wildlife Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Bill Heinrich Bill Heinrich young Aplomado falcon. T & E, Inc., the Secretaria De Medio Ambiente Recursos Natu- of their numbers before reaching one year of age.