The peregrine falcon made one of the most dramatic conservation recoveries in history following the DDT ban, and now faces new welfare challenges as urban populations encounter human infrastructure and disturbance.
Urban peregrine welfare represents an intersection of conservation success and new welfare challenges. Peregrine falcons that nest on urban structures face hazards their rural ancestors did not encounter. Fledglings making their first flights in dense urban environments collide with glass buildings, fall to streets, and are sometimes grounded in areas with high vehicle traffic. Volunteer groups in many cities monitor nest sites and rescue grounded fledglings during the risky first-flight period. Urban peregrine nest monitoring also reveals welfare information about food availability, breeding success, and health conditions across city populations. The story of peregrine recovery is one of the most inspiring examples of how addressing the specific cause of welfare harm can enable dramatic population recovery.