 | greenville business & community directory |
|
This is an archived page that may contain outdated or incorrect information. Please visit www.Greenville.com for the latest news, events, and more.
After coming a hair�s width away from extinction, the peregrine falcon is in the process of staging a remarkable comeback in the wild, untouched regions of certain areas in the US. Fortunately for environmentalists and bird watchers in North Carolina, Chimney Rock Park in Chimney Rock, NC, is one of those lucky places that is now playing host to this special bird.
In 1984, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission began a reintroduction program to restore peregrine falcons (considered the fastest living creature on earth) to the wild after a population decline due to insecticide poisoning (namely DDT) nearly caused their extinction. In 1988, released peregrine falcons successfully raised young in North Carolina for the first time since 1957. In 1990, four pair of peregrine falcons were successful in raising a total of 10 young. In what is now considered a significant environmental event, three of these birds hatched on the high, nearly inaccessible cliffs in Chimney Rock Park. These birds later moved to areas further up the gorge and had not been seen spending any time in the park since � until late April 2005, that is, when Chimney Rock Park ornithologist Simon Thompson and other birders saw a peregrine falcon defending its nest site.
The peregrine falcon is a fast raptor that can dive at speeds over 200 MPH. It has sharp talons used to grab prey and a sharp, curved beak. It averages 15-21 inches long, and has a wingspan of 40 inches. Peregrines are found on every continent except Antarctica. The peregrine falcon eats a wide variety of birds, including jays, pigeons, shorebirds, robins, and ducks. Rather than build their own nests, falcons utilize tree cavities, rock cliffs, ledges, and high bridges to lay eggs and raise their young. Female falcons lay one clutch of 3-4 eggs each year. Females are larger and dominate the males. Peregrine falcons are an endangered species success story. Elimination of DDT in the United States, reintroduction, and nest-box programs in urban areas have contributed to their return. DDT, a broad-spectrum pesticide that was widely used in the US until several decades ago, caused an alteration in the falcons� calcium metabolism, and their eggshells became so thin that undeveloped birds perished. While the US no longer uses DDT, other countries around the world continue to use it, and peregrine falcons continue to ingest and bioaccumulate DDT through the small birds they eat. The peregrine falcon was removed from the federal endangered species list in late 1999, but the bird remains on the North Carolina list of endangered species. (Images provided by Chimney Rock Park and the National Park Service.)
|
Western North Carolina, with its high, steep, remote, and rocky mountain faces, is an ideal location for peregrine falcon nesting sites.
