[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 198 (Friday, October 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 60563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17009]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
Post-Delisting Monitoring Results for the American Peregrine
Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum), 2003
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of document availability.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (``we'' or ``Service'')
announces the availability of the results from 2003 monitoring data
collected as part of the post-delisting monitoring plan for the
American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum).
ADDRESSES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th Ave, Portland,
OR 97232.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Green, Migratory Birds and
State Programs, at the above address, at [email protected], or at
503-231-6164 (phone) or 503-231-2019 (fax).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This report, titled ``Monitoring Results for
Breeding American Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus anatum), 2003,''
is published under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Biological
Technical Publications series as BTP-R1005-2006. The American peregrine
falcon was removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife
and Plants on August 25, 1999, due to its recovery (64 FR 46541). This
report presents results from the first of 5 monitoring years, as
described in the Service's ``Monitoring Plan for the American Peregrine
Falcon, A Species Recovered Under the Endangered Species Act.'' A
Notice of Availability for the monitoring plan was published on
December 3, 2003 (68 FR 67697).
Background
The American peregrine falcon occurs throughout much of North
America, from the subarctic boreal forests of Alaska and Canada south
to Mexico. American peregrine falcons nest from central Alaska, central
Yukon Territory, and northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, east to the
Maritime Provinces, and south (excluding coastal areas north of the
Columbia River in Washington and British Columbia) throughout western
Canada and the United States to Baja California, Sonora, and the
highlands of central Mexico. American peregrine falcons that nest in
subarctic areas generally winter in South America. Those that nest at
lower latitudes exhibit variable migratory behavior; some do not
migrate.
The American peregrine falcon declined precipitously in North
America following World War II, a decline attributed largely to
organochlorine pesticides, mainly DDT, applied in the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. As a result. the American peregrine falcon was
listed as endangered on June 2, 1970, under the precursor of the
Endangered Species Act (35 FR 16047). Following restrictions on
organochlorine pesticides in the United States and Canada, and
implementation of various management actions, including the release of
approximately 6000 captive-reared falcons, recovery goals were
substantially exceeded in some areas. On August 25, 1999, the American
peregrine falcon was removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened
Wildlife and Plants (64 FR 46541).
Section 4(g)(1) of the Endangered Species Act requires that, in
cooperation with the States, we effectively monitor for not less than 5
years the status of all species removed from the List of Endangered and
Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to recovery. In keeping with that
mandate, we developed a monitoring plan (``Monitoring Plan for the
American Peregrine Falcon, A Species Recovered Under the Endangered
Species Act'') to guide our monitoring efforts in cooperation with
State resource agencies, recovery team members, independent scientists,
biostatisticians, and other partners. Our plan calls for monitoring
peregrine falcons five times at 3-year intervals beginning in 2003 and
ending in 2015. This report presents the results of the first of these
monitoring years.
Over 300 individuals contributed their observations at 438
peregrine falcon territories across six monitoring regions in 2003.
These included Federal and State agency personnel, members of tribes,
non-governmental organizations, volunteers, and many others. Although
we monitored only 36 of the targeted 96 territories in the Southwestern
monitoring region, sufficient numbers of territories were surveyed in
each of the other five monitoring regions to meet the statistical
criteria described in the monitoring plan. Our estimates of territory
occupancy, nest success, and productivity were above the target values
that we set in the monitoring plan for those nesting parameters.
Additional data collected by States and others indicate that there were
3,005 nesting pairs of American peregrine falcons in the United States,
Canada, and Mexico in 2003, compared to approximately 1,750 pairs at
the time of delisting. Additionally, 92 percent of pairs nest on
natural substrates in all regions except the Midwestern/Northeastern
region, where only 32 percent nest on natural substrates. Our estimates
of the nesting parameters and the additional data from across the
United States indicate that the peregrine falcon population is secure
and vital. The next coordinated nationwide monitoring effort, scheduled
for 2006, is underway.
Copies of the 2003 monitoring results may be requested from Michael
Green (see contact information, above). This report is also available
on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/recovery/peregrine/.
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: October 6, 2006.
Chris McKay,
Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17009 Filed 10-12-06; 8:45 am]
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