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
Califo rnia 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 Free-
Flying 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.
