The falcons’ arrival in town increased human interest. That combination of potential breeding sites and high densities of a preferred prey meant an increase in urban living for the resourceful Peregrine, and numbers climbed steadily. And where humans congregated, pigeons flourished. In parts of its range the falcon realised that buildings could be utilised as make-shift cliffs for breeding. Slowly the Peregrine population began to rise, in part prompted by the bird’s remarkable ability to adapt. Alerted by both amateur and professional rnithologists to an impending catastrophe, governments banned the chemicals. Everywhere the chemicals were used the Peregrine population fell sharply: in some areas the falcons were extirpated.
But the chemicals had a disastrous effect on Peregrine Falcons, causing both the breaking of eggshells and the killing of adult birds. In the second half of the last century the need to increase food production led to the widescale application of chemicals on farmland. Allied to excellent photography the result is a comprehensive book on this most iconic bird. In addition, modern technology has been used to study the flights which have made the falcon famous as arguable the fastest creature on the planet. The falcons breed on all continents apart from Antarctica and data has been collected from across that vast range. This book investigates all aspects of Peregrine Falcon life, from plumage, through diet, breeding and survival.
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