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The Peregrine Falcon

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Background• Decline in peregrine population between

the 1930’s and 1960’s– Human

• egg collectors• falconers• shooters

– DDT

• Peregrine falcon extinct in Virginia by mid ’60’s

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Background (continued)

• Recovery Strategy– Birds subspecies from all over world– Relocated in Atlantic Coastal Islands

• Freedom from human intrusion• Abundance of prey• Ideal area for flight training and hunting

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Background (continued)

• Success!– First Breeding Pair in Virginia – Wallops

Island, 1981– First Successful Nesting – Assateague

Island, 1982

• More peregrines on Coastal Islands now than in previous years

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Hacking TowerTowers like these were used to reintroduce the Peregrine to Virginia.Young captive birds were placed in a box atop the Tower and fed through a back door so the birds would not associate food with humans.When the birds are ready to fly, the front of the box is removed and the birds are free; however the young falcons still return for food. The amount of food is gradually reduced, forcing the falcons to hunt. After six weeks, the birds are totally self-sufficient. There are no more hacking towers on the coastal islands, although there are numerous nesting towers. One such tower is located in the marsh at the northern end of Wallops Island.

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Background (continued)

• In 2000, 17 nesting pairs on Virginian Coast produced:– 57 eggs– 34 young– 29 fledglings

• 1.9 successful young/breeding attempt• No fledglings at Wallops Island• Delisted federally, but still state-endangered

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Questions…

• What are the factors associated with fledgling mortality?

• What are the mortality rates among young?• Are the local falcons migratory or non-

migratory?• If migratory, where are the birds wintering?• Are the falcons returning to their natal area?

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…answered using satellite telemetry

POES Satellite

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Platform Transmitter Terminal (PTT) on Juvenile Falcon

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Wallops Approached

• Center for Conservation Biology

• WFF to sponsor study – Transmitter– Year’s satellite time– Partnership with

• Academia• Industry• State and Federal Agencies

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Peregrine “Partners”• College of William & Mary’s Center for

Conservation Biology– Identifies, traps, and fits candidate birds with

transmitters– Coordinates monitoring and data collection– Serves as intermediary to EARTHSPAN– Places NASA falcon data on web site

• EARTHSPAN/Northstar– Builds transmitters– Receives processed data and makes it available

to partners

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Peregrine “Partners” (continued)

• Dominion Power – Sponsors eight birds– Creates and maintains web site with links

to other partners’ web sites• U.S. Fish and Wildlife

– Sponsors three birds• National Park Service

– Sponsors two to three birds

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Peregrine “Partners” (continued)

• Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries– Takes data and develops location maps– One to five birds

• NASA– Sponsors three birds – Commitment for two additional years’

funding

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Justification

• Citing NASA participation in :– Chesapeake Bay Program– Chesapeake Information Management System

(CIMS)– NASA Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

program

Headquarters and Wallops decide to team to sponsor birds marked in Wallops vicinity.

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What NASA Gets

• Baseline ecosystem data for three NASA facilities.– GSFC– WFF– LaRC

• Alliances– Academia– Private Industry– Other Federal Agencies– State Agencies

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What NASA Gets (continued)

• NASA Environmental Geographic Information Systems– Endangered species themes– Migratory bird themes

• NASA Institutional Biodiversity NPG– Pilot biological assessment

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What NASA gets (continued)

• Publicity– Dominion Power Press Conference– Dominion Web Page

• NASA-sponsored falcon tracking data• Links to NASA earth science and

environmental web sites

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What WFF Gets

• Partnerships with:– U.S. Fish and Wildlife– Virginia Game and Inland Fisheries

• Publicity

• Outreach

• Peregrine population information

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Time Schedule for Year One

• 1 March – 1 June: Monitor nesting pairs for egg & chick production

• March: Purchase transmitters

• June: Capture and fit birds with transmitters

• June – December: Monitor return data and provide project updates

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• WFF has an abundance of wildlife resources

• Once-endangered peregrine has returned

• Questions about the new falcon population

• Answers gained through satellite tracking

• NASA/partners with others to enable tracking

• NASA benefits from participation

Summary