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THE FORUM
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20-Apr-23, 08:30:50 AM
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15988
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Other Nature Related Information / General Nature Discussion / Re: Peregrine falcons vicious predators that do not belong in the city limits
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on: 01-Apr-11, 11:45:22 PM
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I feel compelled to respond to the recent letter arguing that the Peregrine falcons nesting in downtown Fargo are “vicious predators” that threaten our pets and children.
In every respect, Peregrines are remarkable creatures. It would be impossible to pack more bird, or more charisma, into such a small package. They also represent a true success in modern conservation. Peregrines prove that, at least on occasion, human mistakes can be corrected and species we have decimated can be saved from the brink of extinction.
One of the reasons for the Peregrine’s resilience is its adaptability. They readily accept man-made structures as substitutes for the natural nest sites provided by tall cliffs. As a result, they are now living in urban environments and in regions where they were never found before. We are indeed fortunate Fargo has been home to a pair of these birds since 2000. There are many reasons to be thrilled every spring by their return.
Of course, Peregrines are predators. More specifically, they are avian predators and make their living by killing and eating other birds. In all the years I have been monitoring Fargo’s peregrines, I have known them collectively to eat only one mammal. That was a vole, an animal the size of a mouse.
As hunters, Peregrines are both efficient and opportunistic. They range far when hunting, and size seems to be the only limiting factor in the selection of prey. For these reasons, they do not have an appreciable impact on the local populations of any prey species.
Peregrines aren’t very big themselves. It does them no good to catch food they can’t carry. I have never seen our male return with food much bigger than a dove. The larger females seem to focus on pigeons, but even they struggle to carry such a load.
I should also mention that Peregrines are not the only raptors that nest in Fargo. Cooper’s hawks, in particular, have become common. If you see a hawk nesting in a tree, chasing birds from your backyard feeder, or eating one of the rabbits that used to live in your garden, think Cooper’s hawk, not Peregrine falcon.
Confusion also results from the failure to distinguish between hunting behavior and territorial aggression. Many raptors will do their best to deter any perceived threat that approaches their nest site or young. They stoop at dogs and cats because they are protecting their young, not because they are hunting for food. (The first female Peregrine who nested in Fargo would dive and scream at any dog who came within blocks of the nest site. None of those dogs were harmed in any manner, and most did not seem to be overly impressed by the 2-pound bird that was trying to chase them away.)
In closing, predators are a natural and essential part of life. Human attitudes toward predators have changed dramatically in my lifetime. At least for most of us, fear and persecution have been replaced with understanding and appreciation. Believe me – when it comes to Peregrine falcons, there is much to marvel but nothing to fear.
Corwin is a Fargo district judge. He has been observing, photographing and studying Fargo’s Peregrine falcons for more than a decade.
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I am eggstremely happy for our Rochester falcons! 
Me too!!
