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The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) They live in New York City!  Today peregrine falcons nest on skyscrapers. New York City has the most falcons in the world. They also nest in 25 other cities in Canada and the United States on tall buildings and bridges. In the wild, peregrine falcons nest on cliffs. Each spring a breeding pair returns to the same location. They make their nest on a narrow ledge and lay 2 to 4 eggs. When the eggs hatch, the baby falcons are HUNGRY! They demand ten meals a day from their parents who hunt for smaller birds like pigeons and starlings. That's when peregrines use their speed -- to catch food. After 6 weeks the young falcons are fully-grown. They leave the nest and learn to fly. Because the nest is so high, they have to learn fast. In the 1950's scientists began to notice that peregrine falcons were suddenly disappearing. Scientists like Rachel Carson realized that pesticides where the cause. Pesticides are powerful chemicals used to kill insects that eat food crops. Pesticides can harm all the animals in the food web, including humans. One chemical, DDT, caused the eggshells of falcons to be very thin and fragile. The eggshells would break before the chicks could hatch. In the 1970's only 78 peregrine falcons could be found.  Quickly scientists began to breed captive falcons to release into the wild. They discovered that the birds thrive in cities with tall buildings. People were excited to see the beautiful falcons flying around the skyscrapers and to help them recover. Today pesticides like DDT are illegal to use in the United States and Canada. More than 4,000 peregrine falcons are thriving in cities and wildlands across North America. Contact Us! |
