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Target:5 Falcon Families for the Park

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Target:5 Falcon Families for the Park Summer 1986 OSVolume Forty-eight Published for Members Number three of the Yosemite Association from many areas . By 1965 breeding fal- few species of birds are cons were vir- r to inspire as much awe in tually ex- r.c.ound observers as can the tinct e Falcon. With their spec- east of maraerial displays, these birds the Mississippi River and were ter' have captured the imagi- declining rapidly elsewhere cc of mankind for hundreds in North America. (tars. At one time, Peregrines In 1973 the Endangered ~.td an almost cosmopolitan Species Act was en- : .hon; they were found abled and the Pere- : nearly all of North America grine Falcon now _rope. "Peregrine," which benefits from :wanderer, is a the full pro- • : t : name. Sadly, over the tection af- ecades there has been a forded species listed under this aide decline in Peregrine legislation. -sots and they have become The Peregrine decline corre- <ered or even extinct in sponds to the development and r areas. Here in Yosemite, we use of DDT during World War II. --.:nate enough to have 2 This and other organochloride ng pairs of Peregrines, the pesticides are persistent pollut- =.own breeding pairs in the Target:5 Falcon Families ants in the ecosystem and work e Nevada. Through the their way up the food web until aoerative efforts of several or- they accumulate in high concen- cations and agencies, we for the Park trations in the tissues of preda- :c restore this endangered tors. In Peregrines, the pesticides : grey to all parts of its are converted into a metabolite _ range. swifts and swallows, which are Peregrines will even chase off called DDE which accumulates Peregrine Falcon — approx- highly adept fliers in their Golden Eagles, which are much in the fatty tissues of the birds. r. ; crow-sized — is a swift own right. larger and more powerful birds . It During the breeding season, these . • --:-ridable flier, often mak- Peregrine Falcons mate for life is a thrilling sight indeed to watch fat reserves are heavily utilized -_ .noendous dives from great and annually breed in the same a pair of Peregrines incessantly by the adult falcons and in the sometimes over 200 territory. In Yosemite, the Pere- dive on an eagle, as the big bird female the poison interferes with :-r order to capture prey. grines have established El Capi- rolls over in mid-air to present its her ability to deposit calcium in Wanes prey on what they can tan and the cliffs surrounding talons to the oncoming falcons. the eggshells. As a result, she lays are in the air, which is almost Hetch Hetchy reservoir as their The adult Peregrines will continu- eggs with thinner and thinner rr. s some species of bird; how- breeding territories. The 2 Yosem- ously harass the intruder until it shells each year. This can result in .. they have been known to ite pairs of Peregrines are prime leaves the area. It doesn 't take egg dehydration, breakage or, as • occasional bat, if one is examples of what Peregrine predators long to learn to avoid the pesticide load increases, direct enough to be flying about enthusiasts have known for the cliff faces on which there are be daytime. Prey species range years — these birds have an eye breeding Peregrines. MCbebi9 is a Biological Tech- Kee from hummingbirds to for spectacular locations . The nrctbn'tk fife Resource Management h and ducks, in fact, in some territory is very aggressively de- Pesticide Contamination Division at Yosernie National Park. es =<e Peregrine is commonly fended against any potential pred- Beginning in the early 19150's fa}, 9e 9 pritpgq yly relponsible for seed to as "Duck Hawk ." The ators throughout the breeding toners and biologists noticed that tTiePerrgl4i.J falcon program in cos are even able to capture season (March through June) . Peregrines were disappefatiOtO Ake nark. PAGE TWO YOSEMITE ASSOCIATION, SUMMER 11 poisoning of the embryo. Research has indicated that 15% thinning of the eggshell is the critical level for survival of the young—below 15% the chance of survival is good, above 15% the from pesticide poisoning. Appall prospects for survival are much ently, this female can no longer reduced. In a relatively few years, lay viable eggs . Despite this, she the female may become so con- is still reproductively valuable in taminated that she cannot lay that she is an excellent foster viable eggs and, eventually, the mother and is much better at adult birds may themselves die of fledging and training young Pen the poisoning. grines than we humans would i Sources of the pesticide con- with our artificial methods. taminant are varied . Despite its use being banned in this country Falcon of the Year in 1972, DDT locally applied prior A second Peregrine aerie was di to the ban is probably still cycling covered in the Park in 1981 at through the ecosystem and ad- Hetch Hetchy reservoir. We don versely affecting the Peregrines as believe the pair bred that year—. well as other species . Also, other the female was still in immatun organochloride pesticides which plumage —but they have succes are widely used in agriculture fully raised young, without any today can break down into the manipulation on our part, each same metabolite, DDE, that is breeding in the Park are probably two later and the dummies are re- year since then. In fact, this pair poisoning the birds . Even now, remnants of a much larger Sierran placed with Peregrine hatchlings. has been unusually successful, DDT is still used as a component population. It has been a great help to our fledging 4 young birds in both in some pesticides. In addition, In 1978, after a nearly forty recovery efforts that the adult 1984 and 1985 . Four young is a DDT continues to be used in year absence, Peregrines were Peregrines will accept our taking very high success rate for Amer- Latin American countries in found to be breeding in Yosemite their unhatched eggs (whether ican Peregrine Falcons in recent malaria control, and Peregrine at El Capitan and they have oc- real or dummy) and replacing years. In fact, this was the only prey species that migrate from cupied the cliff every year since. them with 2 to 3 week old nest- nest (out of 77) in California to these areas are contaminating the Twice since then (1979 and 1983) lings. It must be quite a surprise fledge 4 young in 1985. Even falcons. The pesticide can even only one adult was present, pre- to the parents to suddenly have more unusual is that in 1985 thin be carried by air and water and sumably due to the death of its these hungry and very demand- female laid 5 eggs, an event not deposited in this country via aer- mate. In every other season, the ing young mouths to feed, but we recorded in California since the ial fallout. Although Yosemite Na- El Cap falcons have fledged at have yet to see the adults reject 1930's . You can see why in the 1 tional Park is an excellent preserve least one young; however, in any of the fostered birds. In fact, 2 years we 've taken the liberty of Peregrine nesting habitat, the recent years they have needed a they usually start brooding and proclaim the Hetch Hetchy protection we provide can do little human help to do so . In addi- feeding them within an hour of female "Falcon of the Year." nothing to solve the pesticide tion to protective closures of their being placed in the nest. Nevertheless, these birds do problems plaguing the falcons. climbing routes that pass near the The augmentation of the El suffer from some pesticide con- Peregrine aeries (they have used Cap aerie for the past 5 seasons tamination. Eggshell thinning fc Manipulating the Nests two different ledges on the cliff has been necessary because this this pair has been fairly erratic: i Historic information on Pere- face), we began manipulating the female has been laying exces- 1982 they averaged 13% thin ; it grine Falcon activity in Yosemite nests, through a process called sively thin eggs (over 15%) since 1983 the results showed an in- is sketchy and somewhat con- augmentation, in 1982. 1981. In 1981 her eggs were 17% crease to 16 .3% thinning; in cos fused, but records found in the Yo- Augmentation is a technique thin. By 1984 her eggs ranged trast, the 1984 and 1985 analyse semite Research Library show in which the wild Peregrine eggs from 14 to 20% thinner than nor- showed a decrease in the aver" that, prior to the discovery of the are removed from the nest and re- mal Peregrine eggs, and in 1985 thinning to 15 .5% and 14 .4% I falcons on El Capitan in 1978, placed with either dummy eggs things became worse when respectively. Their eggs are fluc-I Peregrines had not been con- or young birds that have been eggshells ranged from 15 to 26% tuating right around the critical I firmed breeders in Yosemite since hatched in captivity. Whether or thinner than normal. We do not level. Despite this pair's appare>/ nesting on Mt . Broderick in 1941, not dummy eggs or young hatch- yet have the eggshell analysis ability to hatch thin shelled egg/ although incidental observations lings are placed into the nest de- back for 1986 but we anticipate we anticipate problems with M continued until 1949 . Peregrines pends on the breeding chronoolgy that the eggshells will be thinner them in the very near future anal were probably never abundant in of the birds and if captive young still — only 2 eggs were recovered the need to augment their nest.
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