Editing Peregrine falcon (section)

==Relationship with humans==

===Use in falconry===
{{Main|Falconry}}
[[File:Falconry sport of kings (1920) Peregrine falcon striking red grouse.png|thumb|Tame peregrine striking a [[red grouse]], by [[Louis Agassiz Fuertes]] (1920)]]
The peregrine falcon is a highly admired falconry bird, and has been used in [[falconry]] for more than 3,000 years, beginning with nomads in [[central Asia]].<ref name=Blood2001/> Its advantages in falconry include not only its athleticism and eagerness to hunt, but an equable disposition that leads to it being one of the easier falcons to train.<ref name=Beebe1984/> The peregrine falcon has the additional advantage of a natural flight style of circling above the falconer ("waiting on") for game to be flushed, and then performing an effective and exciting high-speed diving stoop to take the [[quarry (prey)|quarry]]. The speed of the stoop not only allows the falcon to catch fast flying birds, it also enhances the falcon's ability to execute maneuvers to catch highly agile prey,<ref name=Mills2018/> and allows the falcon to deliver a knockout blow with a fist-like clenched talon against game that may be much larger than itself.<ref name=Scholz/>

Additionally the versatility of the species, with agility allowing capture of smaller birds and a strength and attacking style allowing capture of game much larger than themselves, combined with the wide size range of the many peregrine subspecies, means there is a subspecies suitable to almost any size and type of game bird. This size range, evolved to fit various environments and prey species, is from the larger females of the largest subspecies to the smaller males of the smallest subspecies, approximately five to one (approximately 1500&nbsp;g to 300&nbsp;g). The males of smaller and medium-sized subspecies, and the females of the smaller subspecies, excel in the taking of swift and agile small game birds such as dove, quail, and smaller ducks. The females of the larger subspecies are capable of taking large and powerful game birds such as the largest of duck species, pheasant, and grouse.

Peregrine falcons handled by falconers are also occasionally used to scare away birds at airports to reduce the risk of [[Bird strike|bird-plane strikes]], improving air-traffic safety.<ref name=Kuzir1999/> They were also used to intercept homing pigeons during World War II.<ref name=Enderson2005/>

Peregrine falcons have been successfully bred in captivity, both for falconry and for release into the wild.<ref name=SCPBRG/> Until 2004 nearly all peregrines used for falconry in the US were captive-bred from the progeny of falcons taken before the US [[Endangered Species Act]] was enacted and from those few infusions of wild genes available from Canada and special circumstances. Peregrine falcons were removed from the United States' endangered species list in 1999. The successful recovery program was aided by the effort and knowledge of falconers – in collaboration with [[The Peregrine Fund]] and state and federal agencies – through a technique called [[hack (falconry)|hacking]]. Finally, after years of close work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, a limited take of wild peregrines was allowed in 2004, the first wild peregrines taken specifically for falconry in over 30 years.

The development of captive breeding methods has led to peregrines being commercially available for falconry use, thus mostly eliminating the need to capture wild birds for support of falconry. The main reason for taking wild peregrines at this point is to maintain healthy genetic diversity in the breeding lines. Hybrids of peregrines and [[gyrfalcon]]s are also available that can combine the best features of both species to create what many consider to be the ultimate falconry bird for the taking of larger game such as the [[sage-grouse]]. These hybrids combine the greater size, strength, and horizontal speed of the gyrfalcon with the natural propensity to stoop and greater warm weather tolerance of the peregrine.

Today, peregrines are regularly paired in captivity with other species such as the [[lanner falcon]] (''F.&nbsp;biarmicus'') to produce the "[[perilanner]]", a bird popular in [[falconry]] as it combines the peregrine's hunting skill with the lanner's hardiness, or the [[gyrfalcon]] to produce large, strikingly coloured birds for the use of falconers.

===Decline due to pesticides===
The peregrine falcon became an endangered species over much of its range because of the use of [[organochlorine pesticide]]s, especially [[DDT]], during the 1950s, '60s, and '70s.<ref name=Cade1988/> Pesticide [[biomagnification]] caused [[organochlorine]] to build up in the falcons' fat tissues, reducing the amount of calcium in their eggshells. With thinner shells, fewer falcon eggs survived until hatching.<ref name=Ehrlich1992/><ref name=Brown1976/> In addition, the PCB concentrations found in these falcons are dependent upon the age of the falcon. While high levels are still found in young birds (only a few months old) and even higher concentrations are found in more mature falcons, with levels peaking in adult peregrine falcons.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |last1=Risebrough |first1=R. W. |last2=Rieche |first2=P. |last3=Peakall |first3=D. B. |last4=Herman |first4=S. G. |last5=Kirven |first5=M. N. |title=Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Global Ecosystem |journal=Nature |date=December 1968 |volume=220 |issue=5172 |pages=1098–1102 |doi=10.1038/2201098a0 |pmid=5723605 |bibcode=1968Natur.220.1098R |s2cid=4148056 }}</ref> These pesticides caused falcon prey to also have thinner eggshells (one example of prey being the black petrels).<ref name=":0" /> In several parts of the world, such as the eastern [[United States]] and [[Belgium]], this species became [[local extinction|locally extinct]] as a result.<ref name=Snow1998/> An alternate point of view is that populations in eastern North America had vanished due to hunting and egg collection.<ref name=Lehr2000/> Following the ban of organochlorine pesticides, the reproductive success of Peregrines increased in Scotland in terms of territory occupancy and breeding success, although spatial variation in recovery rates indicate that in some areas Peregrines were also impacted by other factors such as persecution.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=McGrady |first1=Michael J. |last2=Hines |first2=James E. |last3=Rollie |first3=Chris J. |last4=Smith |first4=George D. |last5=Morton |first5=Elise R. |last6=Moore |first6=Jennifer F. |last7=Mearns |first7=Richard M. |last8=Newton |first8=Ian |last9=Murillo-García |first9=Oscar E. |last10=Oli |first10=Madan K. |title=Territory occupancy and breeding success of Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus at various stages of population recovery |journal=Ibis |date=April 2017 |volume=159 |issue=2 |pages=285–296 |doi=10.1111/ibi.12443 |bibcode=2017Ibis..159..285M |url=http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/516720/1/N516720PP.pdf }}</ref>

===Recovery efforts===
Peregrine falcon recovery teams breed the species in captivity.<ref name=RDigest/> The chicks are usually fed through a chute or with a [[hand puppet]] mimicking a peregrine's head, so they cannot see to [[Imprinting (psychology)|imprint]] on the human trainers.<ref name=DOI95/> Then, when they are old enough, the rearing box is opened, allowing the bird to train its wings. As the fledgling gets stronger, feeding is reduced, forcing the bird to learn to hunt. This procedure is called [[Hack (falconry)|hacking back to the wild]].<ref name=Aitken2004/> To release a captive-bred falcon, the bird is placed in a special cage at the top of a tower or cliff ledge for some days or so, allowing it to acclimate itself to its future environment.<ref name=Aitken2004/>

Worldwide recovery efforts have been remarkably successful.<ref name=RDigest/> The widespread restriction of DDT use eventually allowed released birds to breed successfully.<ref name=DOI95/> The peregrine falcon was removed from the [[United States|U.S.]] [[Endangered Species]] list on 25 August 1999.<ref name=DOI95/><ref name=Henny1981/>

Some controversy has existed over the origins of captive breeding stock used by [[the Peregrine Fund]] in the recovery of peregrine falcons throughout the contiguous United States. Several peregrine subspecies were included in the breeding stock, including birds of Eurasian origin. Due to the [[local extinction]] of the eastern population of ''Falco peregrinus anatum'', its near-extinction in the Midwest, and the limited gene pool within North American breeding stock, the inclusion of non-native [[subspecies]] was justified to optimize the [[genetic diversity]] found within the species as a whole.<ref name=Cade2003/>

During the 1970s, peregrine falcons in Finland experienced a [[population bottleneck]] as a result of large declines associated with [[bio-accumulation]] of [[organochloride]] pesticides. However, the genetic diversity of peregrines in Finland is similar to other populations, indicating that high dispersal rates have maintained the genetic diversity of this species.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Ponnikas, S.|author2=Ollila, T. | author3=Kvist, L. | year=2017| title=Turnover and post-bottleneck genetic structure in a recovering population of Peregrine Falcons ''Falco peregrinus'' |journal=Ibis| volume=159 | issue=2 |pages=311–323 |doi=10.1111/ibi.12460 |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi-fe2019040511233 }}</ref>

Since peregrine falcon eggs and chicks are still often targeted by illegal poachers,<ref name=scientific-web/> it is common practice not to publicise unprotected nest locations.<ref name=ABA2005/>

===Current status===

Populations of the peregrine falcon have bounced back in most parts of the world. In the United Kingdom, there has been a recovery of populations since the crash of the 1960s. This has been greatly assisted by conservation and protection work led by the [[Royal Society for the Protection of Birds]]. The RSPB  estimated that there were 1,402 breeding pairs in the UK in 2011.<ref name=bbcnews-11may2011/><ref name=rspb/> In Canada, where peregrines were identified as endangered in 1978 (in the [[Yukon]] territory of northern [[Canada]] that year, only a single breeding pair was identified<ref name=COSEWIC-Yahoo>{{cite web|url=https://ca.news.yahoo.com/peregrine-falcon-recovery-apos-astounding-234647005.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=ma|title=Peregrine falcon recovery 'astounding,' says Yukon biologist|publisher=Yahoo News|date=6 December 2017|access-date=9 December 2017}}</ref>), the [[Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada]] declared the species no longer at risk in December 2017.<ref name=COSEWIC>{{cite press release |author=Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada|title=Peregrine Falcon achieves landmark recovery but salmon struggle|url=https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/peregrine-falcon-achieves-landmark-recovery-but-salmon-struggle-1010326983|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190313033146/https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/peregrine-falcon-achieves-landmark-recovery-but-salmon-struggle-1010326983|archive-date=13 March 2019|location=Ottawa|publisher=PR Newswire|date=4 December 2017}}</ref>

Peregrines now breed in many mountainous and coastal areas, especially in the west and north, and nest in some urban areas, capitalising on the urban [[feral pigeon]] populations for food.<ref name=rspb2003/> Additionally, falcons benefit from artificial illumination, which allows the raptors to extend their hunting periods into the dusk when natural illumination would otherwise be too low for them to pursue prey. In [[England]], this has allowed them to prey on nocturnal migrants such as [[redwing]]s, [[fieldfare]]s, [[common starling|starlings]], and [[Eurasian woodcock|woodcocks]].<ref name=bbcwildlife-26apr2018>{{cite news |last= Mathiesen |first= Karl |date= 26 April 2018 |title= How peregrines have adapted to urban living |url= https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/urban-evolution |url-status= |work= [[BBC Wildlife]] |location= London |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200806112033/https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/urban-evolution/ |archive-date= 6 August 2020 |access-date= 15 November 2023}}</ref>

In many parts of the world peregrine falcons have adapted to urban habitats, nesting on [[cathedral]]s, [[skyscraper]] window ledges, tower blocks,<ref name=bbcnews-3jun2005/> and the towers of [[suspension bridge]]s. Many of these nesting birds are encouraged, sometimes gathering media attention and often monitored by cameras,<ref name=Navarro2009/>{{refn|group=note|See, for example, [http://calfalcons.berkeley.edu Cal Falcons Webcam] and [http://library.umass.edu/falcons W.E.B. Du Bois FalconCam]<ref name=WEBDB_Cam/> }} but some falcons can be infected with human-borne pathogens and heavy metals from moving to more urban areas, which can be deadly for chicks.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pyzik |first1=E. |last2=Dec |first2=M. |last3=Stepień-Pyśniak |first3=D. |last4=Marek |first4=A. |last5=Piedra |first5=J. L. |last6=Chałabis-Mazurek |first6=A. |last7=Szczepaniak |first7=K. |last8=Urban-Chmiel |first8=R. |title=The presence of pathogens and heavy metals in urban peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) |journal=Veterinary World |date=2021 |volume=14 |issue=7 |pages=1741–1751 |doi=10.14202/vetworld.2021.1741-1751 |pmid=34475693 |pmc=8404116 }}</ref>

In [[England]], peregrine falcons have become increasingly urban in distribution, particularly in southern areas where inland cliffs suitable as nesting sites are scarce. The first recorded urban breeding pair was observed nesting on the [[Swansea Guildhall]] in the 1980s.<ref name=bbcwildlife-26apr2018/> In [[Southampton]], a nest prevented restoration of mobile telephony services for several months in 2013, after [[Vodafone]] engineers despatched to repair a faulty [[transmitter mast]] discovered a nest in the mast, and were prevented by the [[Wildlife and Countryside Act]] – on pain of a possible prison sentence – from proceeding with repairs until the chicks fledged.<ref name=bbcnews-15apr2013/>

In [[Oregon]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]] houses ten percent of the state's peregrine nests, despite only covering around 0.1 percent of the state's land area.<ref name=bbcwildlife-26apr2018/>