Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!
No hungry generations tread thee down;
John Keats, Ode to a Nightengale
A long time ago in what seems like another galaxy far, far away, I began a love affair with ecology, science, and an amazing bird whose fancy Latin name is Falco peregrinus, the Peregrine Falcon.
America in the early to mid- 1970's was a different place. There were many victories for environmental activists, including passage of the Endangered Species Act, creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, and banning of the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (aka, DDT). There were even Republicans that cared about environmental protection, but that was before Ronald Reagan unleashed James Watt, before scorched earth psychopaths Richard Pombo and James Inhofe slithered into Congress, and before George W. Bush tried to gut every environmental regulation.
Join me in trip down memory lane and the bird of my dreams.
As a high school senior I received a National Science Foundation scholarship to participate in yearlong program in environmental biology. My mentor was a biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that was involved in efforts to monitor the Peregrine Falcon population around the Chesapeake Bay. After the course ended, I became a research assistant for him and helped with population counts, tagging, and captive rearing of Peregrines for reintroduction into the wild. Watching the birds and participating in the research was one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done in life.
The Peregrine is one of the most widely-adapted raptors and can be found in habitats on every continent above Antarctica and below the Arctic. It primarily hunts waterfowl and circles high above marshes searching for prey. The Peregrine is capable of reaching dive speeds up to 200 mph, making it the fastest animal alive. Peregrines tend to mate for life with the female dominant. Courtship rituals consist of males calling, showing off in flight, and presenting females with food.
The Peregrine was the victim of stupid human tricks. First, bounties for killing raptors were paid by many western states in America, sharply reducing the breeding population. Then along came DDT in 1946 and the population in the wild virtually collapsed. Thanks to the pioneering work of biologists David Peakall and J. J. Hickey in the 1970s, the impact of DDT on the reproductive fitness of the Peregrine (and other birds including the Bald Eagle) became better understood. A breakdown product of DDT known as dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) accumulates in the fat tissue of the Peregrines and interferes with the secretion of calcium carbonate in the eggs, weakening the shells. Maternal incubation of the eggs would cause the weakened shells to break. Progressive accumulation of DDE over the lifespan renders the female's eggs increasingly vulnerable to shell breakage.
By the mid-70s, the Peregrine population was still declining. Even with the banning of DDT in 1972, the tissue accumulation in mature females rendered them incapable of rearing chicks. The winter and spring surveys I participated in were depressing as the trend lines were still moving in the wrong direction. However, with a little help from human friends, the Peregrine Falcon population began to rebound to the point it has now been delisted as an endangered species. In recent years, breeding pairs have even taken up residence in urban environments, using skyscrapers instead of cliffs to nest and terrorizing the pigeon population. Unfortunately the recovery of the Peregrine population has encouraged the return of stupid human tricks.
There is something deeply affecting about watching and interacting with these magnificent birds. Their power and grace in flight are awe-inspiring. Even the mere sight of one in the wild back then was cause for celebration. Now their presence in the wild is cause for celebrating the success of preservation efforts. The Peregrines are also potent symbols of the negative impact of human activity on other species and ecosystems.
Part of the thrill of skydiving for me is the visceral experience of flight. During the sixty or so seconds of the free fall portion of each jump, I can emulate the Peregrine's speed but have little of their control. When I deploy the chute, my flight is filled with cautious turns and deliberate angles. No Peregrine would ever envy me in flight. Actually, if Peregrines could giggle ...
Let me end on a more sobering point. As much as there is to cheer about the recovery of the Peregrines, it appears that the ultimate lessons have not been learned.
In the past dozen years, no fewer than three never-before-seen diseases have decimated populations of amphibians, bees, and — most recently — bats. A growing body of evidence indicates that pesticide exposure may be playing an important role in the decline of the first two species, and scientists are investigating whether such exposures may be involved in the deaths of more than 1 million bats in the northeastern United States over the past several years.
Yale 360
Thanks for stopping by. Please share your own stories of what helped shape your interest and commitment to environmental protection. [This diary was scheduled to be posted last night as part of the Greenroots series, but I inadvertently posted it prematurely while still editing and had to wait to post the final version this morning. My apologies.]
In Remembrance of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Sam Hamilton
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar released the following statement on the passing of Sam Hamilton, the Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service:
"The Interior Department family has suffered a great loss with the passing of Sam Hamilton. Sam was a friend, a visionary, and a professional whose years of service and passionate dedication to his work have left an indelible mark on the lands and wildlife we cherish. His forward-thinking approach to conservation - including his view that we must think beyond boundaries at the landscape-scale- will continue to shape our nation's stewardship for years to come. My heart goes out to Sam's family, friends, and colleagues as we remember a remarkable leader and a compassionate, wise, and eternally optimistic man."
GreenRoots is a new environmental series created by Meteor Blades and Patriot Daily for Daily Kos. This series provides a forum for educating, brainstorming, discussing and taking action on various environmental topics.
Please join a variety of hosts on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 6 pm PDT. Each Wednesday is hosted by FishOutofWater.