Pennsylvania Game News - June 2022 - 7

tee survival. Even there young peregrines
that don't learn to hunt well can starve;
others die in storms.
But, McMorris said, any peregrine that
lives to reach age 1 has a good chance to
survive long term. That's eight years on
average, and sometimes twice that long.
Cliff sites offer the best hope at getting
off to such a good start, Murphy added.
That's why they count for more when
assessing peregrine recovery. And while
some historic cliff sites are gone, quarried
away, others remain available.
Falcons are finding them.
" Each year, we conduct a survey at
cliffs throughout the state that appear suitable,
regardless of peregrine presence, "
Murphy said. " These surveys have uncovered
new locations of nesting peregrines,
and we hope that trend continues. "
There's reason to be optimistic.
Peregrines are the third high-profile
raptor returned to Pennsylvania, following
bald eagles and ospreys. Both of those
other species are doing better than was
ever imagined.
" When I was a young person, you
couldn't see a bald eagle, " Brauning said.
" You just couldn't see them. You had to
chase them down or go to some special
place. Now they are literally all over the
state. "
Peregrines are a little more specialized,
Murphy said. Whereas eagles are
scavengers who will eat anything, peregrines
feed almost solely on birds. They
aren't picky about what kind; McMorris
said they'll take any of 100 or so species,
anything " big enough to bother with and
not too big to attack. "
Peregrines obtain their prey by flying
high, circling, then going into a steep
" stoop, " or dive, to either catch birds in
the sky or stun them and pick them up
off the ground.
JUNE 2022
STAYING PUT IN PA
Pennsylvania's peregrine falcons are
more homebodies than world travelers.
That, too, is about survival.
Arctic peregrines, for comparison,
migrate in frigid winters to follow prey,
said Art McMorris, the Game Commission's
Peregrine Falcon Program Coordinator.
That exposes them to multiple dangers, he
added, but the alternative is starving.
Keystone State birds don't have to worry
about that.
" In Pennsylvania, our winters are really
mild, " McMorris said. " And there's plenty
of prey throughout the winter, especially
in the city with pigeons and starlings and
so forth. So why take the risk in migrating? "
Another benefit of staying put relates to
territories. McMorris said peregrines that
stay home don't have to worry about others
moving in and claiming theirs.
" Then you have to fight to get it back
when you return, " McMorris said. " And you
might not win that fight. "
All that said, peregrines aren't necessarily
obvious in winter, at least around nest
sites. With no young to care for, they may
not frequent them for a period of time. But
they are likely in the general area, added
Sean Murphy.
" You don't get to see that very often, "
Brauning said. " I have seen it twice, and
it's pretty dramatic. "
It's a technique that requires big, open
spaces, though. Add that to their intolerance
for one another and the potential for
peregrines might seem limited, at least in
comparison to some other raptors.
Still, Murphy said there's " always that
chance " peregrines could surprise everyone
and come back in bigger numbers
than expected.
Even if that doesn't come to pass -
even if the total number of peregrines
stays right where it is - they've made
an amazing return, McMorris said. He
always believed it was possible, provided
7
Pennsylvania Game News - June 2022

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