Peregrine falcons, as the fastest bird in the skies, have fascinated people for centuries. Peregrine numbers fell due to the effects of DDT which caused their eggs to fail, and they became extinct east of the Mississippi by 1964. They were one of the first birds to be the focus of conservation, however, and through an intensive reintroduction program, returned to the skies in New Jersey and other eastern states in the 1980s.
The population in New Jersey has been about 15-20 pairs annually since 1998. In 2003, on the 30th anniversary of New Jersey’s Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act, peregrine falcons returned to their historic cliff nesting habitat on the Hudson River Palisades – a huge milestone in the peregrine's recovery in the state and the region.
2010 Peregrine Falcon Report (pdf, 255kb)
1 comment:
A Peregrine Falcon was sighted and photographed on the North End of Brigantine, NJ in April of 2010. From the pictures, there does not appear to be a tag. There are clear pictures of the left leg, and no tag is visible. Not sure if the left leg is always used. I saw it on the left leg of a picture on this web site. If photos would be helpful in the tracking on this NJ endagered species, send an e-mail and I can respond and attach them.
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