Peregrine Falcon Recovery: Pesticides, Persecution and Monitoring

The peregrine falcon's remarkable recovery from near-extinction illustrates the power of targeted conservation policy.

Key Facts

Peregrine populations crashed in the 1960s due to organochlorine pesticide (DDT) accumulation causing eggshell thinning.
Following DDT bans and legal protection, UK populations recovered from under 400 pairs to over 1,500.
Illegal persecution by game shooting estates remains the primary ongoing threat in upland areas.
Peregrines are now colonising urban environments, nesting on cathedrals, bridges, and office buildings.
Satellite tagging studies reveal suspicious disappearances concentrated on managed grouse moors.
The Peregrine Population Study has monitored UK breeding populations annually since the 1960s.

Welfare Considerations

Individual peregrines face welfare risks from illegal poisoning, trapping, and destruction of nests and eggs. Persecution represents a deliberate infliction of suffering and death on a protected species. Nest monitoring provides both population data and a deterrence effect against persecution. Urban nest sites on buildings are increasingly managed with public webcams that provide data while generating public engagement with raptor welfare.

What You Can Do

Report suspected peregrine persecution — poisoned birds, disturbed nests — to the police wildlife crime unit.
Support the RSPB's Birdcrime report by providing evidence of raptor persecution.
Follow urban peregrine webcam projects to enjoy and monitor nesting pairs without disturbance.
Advocate for stronger penalties for wildlife crime including raptor persecution.