The breeding population of Peregrine Falcon <i>Falco peregrinus</i> in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands in 2014

Wilson, Mark W.; Balmer, Dawn E.; Jones, Kenneth R.; King, V. Ann; Raw, David; Rollie, Chris; Rooney, Eimear; Ruddock, Mark W.; Smith, G. D.; Stevenson, Andrew; Stirling-Aird, Patrick K.; Wernham, Chris; Weston, Jenny; Noble, David G.

doi:10.1080/00063657.2017.1421610

Cited by 20 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 20 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…in relation to temporal and spatial variation in racing pigeon availability in Wales 189 A. Dixon,C. Richards & A. King racing pigeon availability is considered a causal factor of Peregrine population changes in some UK regions (Dixon et al 2010, Wilson et al 2018. While the influence of racing pigeons on Peregrine ecology is of interest to ornithologists, the potential impact of Peregrine predation on racing pigeons is of concern to pigeon racing enthusiasts (Scottish Homing Union 1998), creating a human-wildlife conflict (Shawyer et al 2000, Dixon 2002, Henderson et al 2004.…”

Section: Diet Of Peregrine Falcons (Falco Peregrinus)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in relation to temporal and spatial variation in racing pigeon availability in Wales

Dixon¹,

Richards²,

King³

2018

Ornis Hungarica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The relative frequency of Common Pigeons Columba livia in the diet of Peregrine Falcons differed across three areas of south-central Wales in line with racing pigeon availability. Peregrines exhibited a functional response to spatial and temporal availability of racing pigeons. During the pigeon-racing season (April–September), pigeons comprised 63% of kills in South Wales where pigeons were most available, 43% in the Brecon Beacons with intermediate availability and 30% in Central Wales, where availability was lowest. The corresponding values outside the pigeon-racing season were 18%, 6% and 5% respectively. We estimate that 92% of pigeons killed by Peregrines were racing pigeons, 7% were feral pigeons and the remainder were other domestic pigeon varieties.

show abstract

Section: Diet Of Peregrine Falcons (Falco Peregrinus)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in relation to temporal and spatial variation in racing pigeon availability in Wales

Dixon¹,

Richards²,

King³

2018

Ornis Hungarica

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…After World War II, the main reasons for the peregrine falcon population ‘crash’ included direct persecution of adults (Humphreys et al 2007; Ratcliffe 2010) and indirect mortality of adults and eggshell thinning due to persistent organochlorine pesticides such as dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT) or dichloro-diphenyl-dichloroethylene (DDE), as a derivative of DDT, and the more toxic cyclodienes dieldrin and aldrin (Ratcliffe 1984; Wilson et al 2018). The well-documented peregrine falcon population crash during the pesticide era showed a further reduction of the total UK breeding population by 50% within a decade (Ratcliffe 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since the ban on organochlorine pesticides in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s (Meijer et al 2001), UK surveys of the peregrine breeding populations have recorded a steady increase (Ratcliffe 1984; Crick and Ratcliffe 1995; Horne and Fielding 2002; Wilson et al 2018), and the recovery of the peregrine falcon is considered a flagship conservation success story (Crick and Ratcliffe 1995). In 2014, the breeding population estimates were 1769 pairs (Wilson et al 2018), and by 2018, peregrine populations in England had increased by 250% of its former pre-war size (Wilson et al 2018). National survey reports since 1972 document the progressive post-crash expansion of the peregrine populations notably in the north and west of the British Isles (Ratcliffe 1972, 1984; Crick and Ratcliffe 1995; Horne and Fielding 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation genetics of regionally extinct peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) and unassisted recovery without genetic bottleneck in southern England

Weaving

Jackson

Nicholls

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

25The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) has been affected by persecution, pollution, trade and 26 habitat degradation, but it is considered a flagship conservation success story because of 27 successful reintroductions. However, in the UK there were never formal reintroduction 28 programmes for peregrine falcons, and it appears that UK populationsand specifically the 29 Sussex peregrines of the English south coastrecently recovered from a population crash 30 unassisted. We obtained samples from contemporary populations in southern England, 31 Ireland, continental Europe, domestic-bred peregrine falcons, and from England pre-32 population crash. Using microsatellite and mtDNA control region data, the genetic diversity 33 and structure, signatures of genetic bottlenecks, and potential origin of the Sussex peregrines 34 was investigated. We found low levels of genetic diversity across all peregrine falcon 35 populations, low but significant genetic differentiation among all populations, and a few private 36 alleles, indicating some level of genetic structure in European peregrines. Although we could 37 not pinpoint the origin of the Sussex peregrines, the data suggests that it is not likely to have 38 originated from escaped domestic birds or from adjacent European populations. The results 39 obtained here parallel other studies on peregrines elsewhere showing low genetic diversity 40 but genetic structure. We conclude that not enough time elapsed for genetic erosion to occur 41 due to the population bottleneck, and that at least for the Sussex peregrines there is no need 42 for genetic conservation by wild-take and subsequent captive breeding programmes as long 43 as current protection measures remain in place.44 45

show abstract

“…Data comprised 101 nesting attempts over 22 nest sites in urban environments, and 326 nesting attempts over 58 sites in rural environments. Data for urban nests were less extensive due to the relatively recent colonisation of urban areas in the UK by peregrines (Wilson et al 2018). 'Urban' sites were defined as nests located in towns or cities, and contained at least 50% urban or suburban land-cover (using the Land Cover Map 2007) within a 2-km radius of the nest.…”

Section: Breeding Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Peregrines are specialist bird-eating raptors found in cities globally (Altwegg et al 2014;Wilson et al 2018), an environment in which some potential prey species of peregrines are especially abundant. Despite being one of the best-known urban predators, it is unclear whether the peregrine is benefitting from nesting in urban environments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding performance of an apex predator, the peregrine falcon, across urban and rural landscapes

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Urban environments present wildlife with major challenges and yet surprising numbers of species have colonised towns and cities globally. Despite the growing realisation that urban centres can be important habitats for wildlife, why some species do better than others in urban environments remains poorly understood. Here, we compare the breeding performance of an apex predator, the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), in urban and rural environments, and test whether variation in reproductive success between and within environments is driven by prey. Historical breeding data were collected from raptor study groups across Great Britain between 2006 and 2016, from 22 urban and 58 rural nest sites, involving 101 and 326 nesting attempts, respectively. Prey density, biomass and diversity around the individual nests was estimated using modelled estimates from a national bird census. Urban peregrines produced more fledglings and had a higher overall nesting success (i.e. whether a nesting attempt was successful or unsuccessful) than rural peregrines. Prey density and biomass were significantly higher, and diversity significantly lower, in the urban sites, and explained the variation in reproductive success within both the urban and rural environments. Therefore, urban environments in Great Britain appear to provide peregrine falcons with superior habitats in terms of prey availability compared to rural habitats. We conclude that some apex predators can benefit from urban environments and that urban planning has the potential to benefit biodiversity across many trophic levels.

show abstract

The breeding population of Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands in 2014

Cited by 20 publications

References 20 publications

Diet of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in relation to temporal and spatial variation in racing pigeon availability in Wales

Diet of Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) in relation to temporal and spatial variation in racing pigeon availability in Wales

Conservation genetics of regionally extinct peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) and unassisted recovery without genetic bottleneck in southern England

Breeding performance of an apex predator, the peregrine falcon, across urban and rural landscapes

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About