In South Texas, biologists place artificial nest structures in Aplomado Falcon habitat. As a result, there is now once again a breeding population in the United States.Īpart from the captive breeding and release efforts, The Peregrine Fund has sought creative solutions to problems associated with the restoration of this species. More than 1,500 chicks have been released to the wild. After only a month or two, the falcons become independent and disperse, or move away from, the hack site. It is during this time that the young birds also learn how to hunt. A field crew provides the falcons with food and monitors them daily to ensure their safety. This is a tough time for the young birds as they learn to fly and avoid predators. Biologists feed the young birds for the week or so that they remain inside the hack box, then it is time to open the door and let the falcons go free. Typically, the hack site consists of a platform on a pole or other tall structure and a box that protects the youngsters from predators. The young birds were released to the wild using a method called “hacking,” a falconry term for a process that allows birds of prey to become accustomed to their surroundings naturally right before they are ready to fly. Aplomado Falcon chicks that were produced at our World Center for Birds of Prey in Idaho were transported to Texas and New Mexico for release. The Peregrine Fund began experimenting with breeding captive Aplomado Falcons and releasing them to the wild in the 1980s. This species’ recovery plan was first drafted in 1990. We'll continue meeting with partners to share the latest knowledge and refine our plans for the future.The Northern Aplomado Falcon was last seen in the American Southwest in the 1950s, leaving its niche in the grassland ecosystem unfilled for decades. So far we have enrolled 2.25 million acres within the falcon's historical range, with a fraction currently suitable for Aplomado Falcons. Fortunately, we’ve spent decades stitching together a patchwork of private lands, public parks, and wildlife refuges. Roughly a third of the population and its habitat still lacks formal protection, and rapid development in the Lower Rio Grande Valley could pose a threat. Although the Aplomado is a medium-sized falcon, it requires a relatively large area to nest and raise young. How will we continue to grow the population? Expanding habitat is key. Despite damage from Hurricane Harvey, the Aplomado Falcon is still on its way to reaching the de-listing goal of 60 pairs. Our advanced computer analysis, the “Aplo-model,” confirms that our approach is working: reproduction along the Texas Gulf coast is ample to sustain a growing population in suitable habitat. Pairs using them raise as many young as pairs in yucca nests, and twice as many as pairs nesting on brush or the ground! To offset a lack of yucca plants, we erected dozens of barred nesting platforms. Our priority is restoring areas with recently-abandoned Aplomado territories, or occupied territories where brush is beginning to encroach. We now advise agencies on grassland restoration and are seeking private landowners who can commit to the same actions. Brush removal is difficult and expensive, but the benefits for falcons and other species are significant. Overgrown brush is an enemy of healthy grasslands because it crowds out yucca, the falcons’ preferred nesting plants, and harbors predators like Great Horned Owls.
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