Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
CURRENT WORK
The Peregrine population is monitored annually by several members of the group including Jim Wells, Cliff Dawson and Gary Platt with many contributors countrywide to annual surveys. Annual collection of data facilitates the examination of trends in the population. This has resulted in 30-40 years breeding data for many of the Peregrine territories in Northern Ireland. Surveyors check for occupancy and breeding success at known territories. Fundamental to this work is our liaison with landowners including farmers and particularly with the quarry industry, both the Quarry Products Association (QPANI) and the individual quarry owners and managers. Quarries provide important habitats for peregrines and kestrels to nest.
Ringing of nestlings in order to examine turnover and dispersal:
This is a project with long-term goals to look at population dynamics (see also the work carried out in Scotland by Natural Research Ltd and the SRSG www.natural-research.org). In Northern Ireland, initially work was carried out as part of a Queen's university project 2003-2005 with fundamental support and provision of information from long-term peregrine field workers. We are endeavouring to continue this work and sightings are most welcome. Colour rings have been read at up to 200m with a telescope (x60) and sightings of ringed birds dead, alive or injured should be reported to or & the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO, www.bto.org).
We are indebted to the multitude of land & quarry owners and managers that have allowed access to facilitate the ringing of nestlings
The ring codes utilised are as follows:
- Aqua rings with single black letter
- Red rings with 2 figure alphanumeric code (a0, a1É.a9, b0, b1 etc)
- Blue rings with 2 figure alphanumeric code (a0, a1Éa9, b0, b1 etc)
All colour rings on left leg and the BTO metal ring on right leg
<<BACK