HI there,

I have seen this guy feeding on what I think are pigeons here on his perch for the last 3 weeks. He's been eating quite well! I think its a Falcon. What type Im not sure. Can anyone confirm.
Thanks,
Rusty[url][url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/80202943@N06/7364241430/][/url]
raptor by rusty5620, on Flickr[/url]

This is a Peregrine Falcon. The dark plumage suggests the west coast race called "pealei".

_________________
Steven Roias

With the large malar stripe, this would be an Anatum. Hard to find a true Peales around here, most are intergrades.

Identifying a Peregrine to subspecies in the field, and worse yet from a single photo, is a tricky business, fraught with problems. Also, keep in mind that between conservation measures and escaped falconers birds, humans have badly mixed up the genes of the various subspecies, to the extent that some birds are no longer really any subspecies at all, but rather a mix of several. Having said that, the natural range of pealei does not really include the Georgia Basin. Most birds nesting here are anatum. Human created mutts are noted here though, as are naturally occurring intergrades at the edges of the ranges.

This bird does appear to be closer to anatum, but the plumage does look to be suspiciously dark as well. Not sure it is identifiable to subspecies.

Guy L. Monty
Merritt, BC

As far as I know, you can correct me with factual documentation, no captive bred peregrines have been released in B.C. Our peregrine populations over the last 50 yrs have been stable, including Peales peregrines. We now have more breeding Anatums in the lower mainland than ever before. Escaped falconry birds are few and peregrines flown here are pure anatum or peales, I know of no tundra birds being flown in B.C. for the past 30 yrs or so, therefore would have no impact on the general population. The new buzz word in the ministry for these intergrades are "marine Peregrines."
Anatums may be light,dark or anywhere in between, as may Peales peregrines. Check the skins in the provincial museum to see for yourself.
I refer you to Wayne Nelson's studies on Peales peregrines.

I would disagree with the statement that "escaped falconry birds are few". I have seen about a dozen over the years, and I don't spend that much time in areas where people fly them.

As to captive bred birds, they don't have to be released here, in order for their genes to end up here in the gene pool.


Guy L. Monty
Merritt, BC

How many escaped falconry birds have been peregrines that you have seen? Again these would have been pure bred birds, not a threat to the gene pool. Again I'm talking peregrines.
As to captive bred birds, the closest releases are anatums in Alberta and Sask, those were pure anatums, I know the guy who bred them.

How is a "pure bred" bird not a threat to the gene pool when the subspecies is inapropriate for the region where the bird escapes? And how do you know that the birds were "pure breds"?

Guy L. Monty
Merritt, BC

If the pure breds are anatums and Peales and they are the subspecies that occur locally then it's not a threat, just an addition. I have been a falconer since 1963 been on the executive on a few different clubs and personally know or know of 99% of the falconers in B.C, Alta, Sask, and quite a few of the WA state guys. I know of no cross bred peregrines being flown in B.C. for at least 10 years maybe more, nobody buys crosses when pure birds are so easy to come by. There are no Tundras, Cassini's, Fiji or other peregrines being flown in B.C. at the present time or for a long time.
The current "in" bird for falcons is the Gyr hybrid so really not many peregrines are being flown anyway.

Some Falcons were released in kelowna back in the 90's.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/st11krupa.pdf