The fastest member of the Animal Kingdom has had another successful nesting season here in the Keystone State.

According to Pennsylvania Game Commission falcon program coordinator Dr. F. Arthur McMorris, there were 32 pairs of confirmed Peregrine Falcon nesting sites across Pennsylvania in 2012.

Out of the 32 confirmed nests, 22 of the pairs had success nesting. These breeding pairs raised 62 young falcons.

"We banded 42 of the young falcons in an ongoing effort to assist the recovery of the population. These numbers compare well with last year when 32 pairs raised 68 offspring," McMorris says.

You might be surprised that the major nesting sites are in the Commonwealth's large cities. Peregrines nested in 15 counties across Pennsylvania, with particular concentrations in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre.

Both the scientific and English names of this species mean wandering falcon, referring to the migratory habits of many of the populations. Peregrine Falcons are the world's most widespread raptor or bird of prey.

Coincidentally, the only land-based bird found over a larger geographic area is the often introduced rock pigeon (common pigeon in parks), which now supports many Peregrine Falcon populations as its prey species.

The large numbers of pigeons in cities and the tendency for Peregrines to nest on high outcrops is the reason for the major concentration of the nest sites in large cities. Peregrine Falcons build their nests on high ledges of city buildings where pigeons are easy prey.

Although the Peregrine Falcon diet consists mainly of pigeons and other medium-size birds, the falcons will occasionally hunt small mammals, reptiles and insects. They reach sexual maturity at one year and mate for life.

Peregrines are 15- to 20-inches long with a 38- to 46-inch wing span. They vary in weight between 16 and 24 ounces. Peregrines are sexually dimorphic. Females are considerably larger than the males. Slate blue bodies, black capped heads and mustache-like markings below the eyes are keys to identification.

The Peregrine Falcon has the distinction of being the fastest bird in the world.

Peregrines fold their wings against their bodies and dive at speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour, killing their prey in full flight. The fallen prey is picked up and carried to a perch where the prey is eaten.

Peregrines have nested in Allentown at the PPL Building and under the Eighth Street Bridge and on the PPL stacks at Martins Creek, Northampton County.

The Peregrine Falcon populations and other birds of prey bottomed out in the mid-20th century when the chemical pesticide dichloro-diphenyltrichloroethane, or DDT, was widely-used in agriculture to kill insects.

When animals ate plants treated with DDT, the chemical was absorbed into their body tissues and organs. The chemical was passed up the food chain from prey to predator. Birds of prey that consumed fish, birds and mammals were affected by pesticide runoffs from agricultural land. The chemicals were absorbed into their bodies.

DDT caused raptor eggs to become brittle. The eggs were so fragile that they cracked beneath the weight of the adults during incubation. After DDT was banned in 1972, the numbers of Peregrine Falcons and other birds of prey slowly began to increase.

The Game Commission's Peregrine Falcon monitoring, banding and release projects have helped Penn's Woods' falcon numbers to increase.

Some experts think there might be more Peregrine Falcons in some parts of the world today than before the 20th century decline.

In August 1999, the Peregrine Falcon had recovered enough to be changed from endangered to threatened. Under the Endangered Species Act, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service oversees the listing and protection of terrestrial animals, plants and freshwater fish.

The Peregrine Falcon continues to be listed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission as an endangered species because of the small local population and continued threats.

That's the way I see it!

Email comments and questions to: bbbcole@ enter.net. To schedule programs, hikes and birthday parties, call 610-767-4043.

All Rights Reserved

&Copy; 2012 Bud Cole