Saved From Extinction

By Joan Darling, Ph.D.

 

Here are some animal trivia questions:

What creature weighing a little over two pounds has been clocked at speeds of over 240 mph?

What species has been a hunting partner with humans for around 4,000 years?

What bird was extinct east of the Rockies and endangered elsewhere but has made a remarkable recovery?

If you answered "peregrine falcon" to all three, you are correct.

The peregrine falcon is one of the wonders of the biological world. It is an almost exclusively aerial predator, catching birds on the fly. It does so by going into an astounding hunting swoop, during which it can reach speeds of over 200 miles per hour. This is twice as fast as any other bird is known to fly and three times as fast as the cheetah, the fastest land animal.

You can't appreciate the incredible nature of this feat without seeing it, so check out this National Geographic video of the falcon in action.

Pretty cool, but, by now, you must be wondering what this has to do with your projects? We're getting there…

The remarkable flying ability of the peregrine has resulted in a long and distinguished relationship with people. These birds occur almost everywhere in the world, and they were tamed in China for falconry hunting as early 2000 B.C. The Egyptian god Horus, appropriately god of the sky and one of the earliest and most important gods, is depicted as a peregrine.

As amazing as these birds are, their position atop the "food chain" almost resulted in their extinction, primarily due to the pesticide DDT, which was widely used in the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s. This chemical had the side effect of weakening bird eggshells, preventing successful breeding. This chemical also was long-lived and bioaccumulated (it was stored in the body instead of excreted) and thus, over time, could reach very high concentrations. The diet of peregrine falcons consists almost exclusively of birds, and most birds are predators as well, particularly during the nesting season. Insects and worms eating sprayed plant material would accumulate DDT; small birds eating them would concentrate DDT and its metabolite DDE further; and peregrines would concentrate it further still. At one point, an intensive count found less than 50 breeding pairs of peregrine falcons in the lower 48 states and Canada, and the species was listed as endangered.

The restriction of organochlorine pesticides in the 1970s, along with instituting a captive breeding program and prohibiting hunting and egg collection, started the falcon on the road to recovery. These birds usually nest on cliffs, and it turned out that high-rise buildings in cities (with the concomitant large pigeon population) suited them very well. Well over 3,000 known breeding pairs now exist, and one of these pairs has been nesting on the Nebraska State Capitol building since 2005.

As a result, the species was delisted as endangered in 1999. This is a true success story and sustainability at its finest: providing an environment in which a species can sustain itself generation after generation.

Oh, yes, I promised a connection to project management. Peregrines are no longer protected by the Endangered Species Act, but they are still protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This law covers almost every species of bird in the country with a few exceptions, and it prohibits "taking" of birds, including harassing or harming them. Nesting birds are particularly susceptible to harm, as young birds cannot fly from danger. Thus, it is important to consider timing for any projects that are likely to affect migratory birds.

Is your project going to impact a habitat at a time when birds may be nesting? Habitat can include street trees or woodland, grassland, or wetlands. Even projects that don't directly affect habitat may have indirect impacts, such as flow depletions in the Platte River from new wells or impoundments. And don't forget structures, as they are habitat too. Peregrine falcons may nest only on buildings, such as the State Capitol, but there might be swallows nesting under that bridge, swifts nesting in that chimney, and barn owls nesting in…well you get the idea. Timing clearing or demolition activities so that nesting birds are not present may cut costs and eliminate delays.

Any project likely to affect habitat, natural or man-made, directly or indirectly, will need to comply with the Endangered Species Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, even if no federal funding is used or no federal permit is required. Only through continued compliance with these laws can remarkable creatures such as the peregrine falcon be saved.

If you have any questions about complying with the Endangered Species Act or the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, contact Olsson's environmental staff members for more information:
Colorado: Scott Dicke, Stuart Hall
Kansas/Missouri: Jonathan Polak, Shannon Tyree
Lincoln and Greater Nebraska: Joan Darling, Chris Talley, Deanna Pulse, Nate Van Meter, Tim Andersen
Omaha: Shawn Zablocki, Keith Simmons
Arizona: Joan Darling, Nate Van Meter, Scott Dicke

You can reach Joan Darling with Olsson's Environmental Resources and Compliance team at jdarling@oaconsulting.com.

 

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