DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

FALCONRY TAKE OF NESTLING

AMERICAN PEREGRINE FALCONS

IN THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED

STATES AND ALASKA

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Division of Migratory Bird Management

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 634

Arlington, Virginia 22203-1610
DRAFT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

FALCONRY TAKE OF NESTLING

AMERICAN PEREGRINE FALCONS

IN THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED

STATES AND ALASKA

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Division of Migratory Bird Management

4401 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 634

Arlington, Virginia 22203-1610

SEPTEMBER 2001
ABSTRACT

 < This plan has been prepared to coordinate specific procedures on

take of nestling American peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus anatum)

in the western U.S. and Alaska for falconry.

 < The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will allow the take of up to 5%

of nestlings in the States west of 100° longitude. All aspects of take

up to the 5% limit analyzed in the May 2001 Environmental

Assessment of take of nestlings will be at the discretion of each State

in which take is allowed, consistent with Federal falconry regulations.

 < Allowed take will be based on the best available nesting

population and productivity data for each State, as described in the

Environmental Assessment.

 < Special conditions for take, including limitations on the periods

during which a nest may be entered and the take of male and female

nestlings, will apply.

 < Take will be summarized each year, and will be reviewed by an

Adaptive Management Team comprised of U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service and State officials.

 < The Adaptive Management Team may recommend changes in the

5% level of nestling take. However, to increase the percentage take

or if a State other than those covered in the initial plan requests take,

the team will provide guidance on the issue. The U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service will then supplement the Environmental Assessment

or prepare a new Assessment, as appropriate, to consider the

request.
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INTRODUCTION

The peregrine falcon is the first delisted bird species in which there has

been interest in take for purposes such as falconry. That interest added

complexity to delisting and management of the species. An October 4,

1999 Notice of Intent to prepare two Management Plans and

Environmental Assessments for Take of Wild Peregrine Falcons (Federal

Register 64:53686-53688) provided notice of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service intention to consider take of nestling and migrant peregrines. We

believed that nestling and dispersing juvenile American peregrine falcons

from natal areas in the eastern United States require protection, but a

limited take of nestlings in areas in which peregrine recovery has been good

would not harm the population. Therefore, we considered a conservative

take of nestling peregrines in the western United States and Alaska, where

populations are robust. We incorporated basic management guidelines in

both the draft and the final Environmental Assessments, and produced a

final environmental assessment/management plan. This guidance provides

additional details to be used by the States and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service for implementing the alternative selected.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this plan is to coordinate the specific procedural and

logistical details related to take of nestling American peregrine falcons in

the western United States.

CRITERIA FOR TAKE

In the Final Environmental Assessment on take of American peregrine

falcons for falconry (USFWS 2001), we concluded that a take of up to 5% of

the nestlings produced in the States west of 100° longitude will still allow

population growth. To allow take, a State must have a nesting population

of at least 14 nesting pairs, which could be expected to produce 20

fledglings.

The basis for take will be the best available nesting and productivity data,

which at this time are the data relied upon in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service decision to delist the species (USFWS 1999). The maximum

number of nestlings that may be taken in each State, based on the best

available nesting and productivity data, is shown in Table 1.
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Table 1. Allowed take of nestling American peregrine falcons for falconry.

State

Nesting

Pairs

Allowed

Take State

Nesting

Pairs

Allowed

Take

Alaska 301 21 Nevada 6 0

Arizona 159 11 New Mexico 32 2

California 167 12 Oregon 51 3

Colorado 89 6 Utah 164 12

Idaho 17 1 Washington 45 3

Montana 18 1 Wyoming 42 3

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review the allowed take each year to

ensure that it does not harm the nesting population. Updated population

or productivity data will be considered as they become available, and will

be used to revise the allowed take, as appropriate. The current best

available data indicate that productivity is 1.44 young per nesting attempt,

based on monitoring from 1994 through 1998. The results of new

population or productivity surveys in States in which take is allowed must

be provided to the Division of Migratory Bird Management. If post-delisting

endangered species monitoring or State surveys show a significant decline

in the number of breeding pairs, the authority for take may be revoked. 

The number of nestlings taken in any State may not be increased unless

new State survey results show an increase in the nesting population or in

productivity.

The allocation and special management of take up to the 5% limit are at

the discretion of each State in which take is allowed. As with management

of take of other species for falconry, the States may regulate details of take,

consistent with Federal falconry standards. Those details may include

whether to allow take of nestlings, timing and location of take of nestlings,

restrictions on aerie access, and allocation of take among interested

falconers. Falconers and the States should take measures to avoid

unintentional take and unnecessary disturbance of peregrines. For

example, individuals entering aeries should be skilled in rappelling and

climbing safety measures. Removal of young from aeries subject to

physical damage should be carefully managed.

The following conditions also will be in effect as part of the requirements

for taking nestling American peregrine falcons. The States may invoke

additional or more stringent conditions.
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a. Nestling American peregrine falcons should not be removed from

their aeries (nests) prior to 10 days of age.

b. Peregrine aeries should not be entered when young are 28 days old

or older to avoid premature fledging of other nestlings.

c. A recently fledged young may be trapped only within 100 meters of

its aerie.

d. At least one young should be left in each aerie.

e. Take of male and female nestlings should be equal in each State.

f. Each falconer who takes a nestling from the wild must provide

information about the sex and precise information about the capture

location for each bird to the appropriate State wildlife agency and to

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service within five days of the take of the

bird. The falconer also should submit three plucked breast feathers

from the nestling to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The feathers

may be submitted with the form 3-186A reporting take of a wild bird

for falconry. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will collect those

feathers in anticipation of stable isotope analyses of them for

information about the origins of North American peregrines.

ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT

The DMBM will use regularly updated information to manage take of

nestling American peregrine falcons. The DMBM will coordinate with the

States to adjust allowed take according to the population changes indicated

by Federal post delisting monitoring or by individual State population

monitoring. All new data relevant to management of American peregrine

falcons will be evaluated annually by a joint State/Federal Adaptive

Management Team. The objective of the AMT will be to review the take of

nestlings each year and make recommendations for adjustments in allowed

take of nestlings or other appropriate actions. The AMT will consist of one

representative from each of the regional agency associations (the Western

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Association of Midwest Fish and

Wildlife Agencies, the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies,

and the Southeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies), one from the

International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and one from the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The team will be co-chaired by the U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service representative and by a regional association

representative. The AMT will meet annually at the North American Wildlife

and Natural Resources Conference.

Each State that allows take must report the number of male and female

nestlings taken in the State to the DMBM by January 1st each year. Each
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State also can provide suggestions to the AMT for adjustments in

management of take, and updated information on the American peregrine

falcon nesting population and productivity in the State. The DMBM will

provide the information on take to the AMT co-chairperson by February 1st.

Each year the AMT will review the DMBM report on take of nestlings and

additional information provided by the States. The AMT will consider

monitoring data, including the latest post-delisting monitoring information. 

The AMT also will review information on unintentional take of adults or

nestlings, productivity information, and bias in take of female or male

nestlings. The AMT will then produce a report to the States and the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service by April 15th each year. The report will include

sections on compliance with, and adequacy of, the restrictions on take

described in this plan and enforced by permit. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service will then adjust take as appropriate.

LITERATURE CITED

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1999. Final Rule To Remove the American

Peregrine Falcon From the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened

Wildlife, and To Remove the Similarity of Appearance Provision for FreeFlying Peregrines in the Conterminous United States. Federal Register

64(164):46542-46558.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2001. Final Environmental Assessment of

falconry take of nestling American peregrine falcons in the contiguous

United States and Alaska. Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, Arlington, Virginia.

This plan was prepared by George T. Allen.