[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 198 (Friday, October 13, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 60563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-17009]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Post-Delisting Monitoring Results for the American Peregrine 
Falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum), 2003

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (``we'' or ``Service'') 
announces the availability of the results from 2003 monitoring data 
collected as part of the post-delisting monitoring plan for the 
American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum).

ADDRESSES: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 911 NE 11th Ave, Portland, 
OR 97232.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Green, Migratory Birds and 
State Programs, at the above address, at [email protected], or at 
503-231-6164 (phone) or 503-231-2019 (fax).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This report, titled ``Monitoring Results for 
Breeding American Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus anatum), 2003,'' 
is published under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Biological 
Technical Publications series as BTP-R1005-2006. The American peregrine 
falcon was removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 
and Plants on August 25, 1999, due to its recovery (64 FR 46541). This 
report presents results from the first of 5 monitoring years, as 
described in the Service's ``Monitoring Plan for the American Peregrine 
Falcon, A Species Recovered Under the Endangered Species Act.'' A 
Notice of Availability for the monitoring plan was published on 
December 3, 2003 (68 FR 67697).

Background

    The American peregrine falcon occurs throughout much of North 
America, from the subarctic boreal forests of Alaska and Canada south 
to Mexico. American peregrine falcons nest from central Alaska, central 
Yukon Territory, and northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, east to the 
Maritime Provinces, and south (excluding coastal areas north of the 
Columbia River in Washington and British Columbia) throughout western 
Canada and the United States to Baja California, Sonora, and the 
highlands of central Mexico. American peregrine falcons that nest in 
subarctic areas generally winter in South America. Those that nest at 
lower latitudes exhibit variable migratory behavior; some do not 
migrate.
    The American peregrine falcon declined precipitously in North 
America following World War II, a decline attributed largely to 
organochlorine pesticides, mainly DDT, applied in the United States, 
Canada, and Mexico. As a result. the American peregrine falcon was 
listed as endangered on June 2, 1970, under the precursor of the 
Endangered Species Act (35 FR 16047). Following restrictions on 
organochlorine pesticides in the United States and Canada, and 
implementation of various management actions, including the release of 
approximately 6000 captive-reared falcons, recovery goals were 
substantially exceeded in some areas. On August 25, 1999, the American 
peregrine falcon was removed from the List of Endangered and Threatened 
Wildlife and Plants (64 FR 46541).
    Section 4(g)(1) of the Endangered Species Act requires that, in 
cooperation with the States, we effectively monitor for not less than 5 
years the status of all species removed from the List of Endangered and 
Threatened Wildlife and Plants due to recovery. In keeping with that 
mandate, we developed a monitoring plan (``Monitoring Plan for the 
American Peregrine Falcon, A Species Recovered Under the Endangered 
Species Act'') to guide our monitoring efforts in cooperation with 
State resource agencies, recovery team members, independent scientists, 
biostatisticians, and other partners. Our plan calls for monitoring 
peregrine falcons five times at 3-year intervals beginning in 2003 and 
ending in 2015. This report presents the results of the first of these 
monitoring years.
    Over 300 individuals contributed their observations at 438 
peregrine falcon territories across six monitoring regions in 2003. 
These included Federal and State agency personnel, members of tribes, 
non-governmental organizations, volunteers, and many others. Although 
we monitored only 36 of the targeted 96 territories in the Southwestern 
monitoring region, sufficient numbers of territories were surveyed in 
each of the other five monitoring regions to meet the statistical 
criteria described in the monitoring plan. Our estimates of territory 
occupancy, nest success, and productivity were above the target values 
that we set in the monitoring plan for those nesting parameters. 
Additional data collected by States and others indicate that there were 
3,005 nesting pairs of American peregrine falcons in the United States, 
Canada, and Mexico in 2003, compared to approximately 1,750 pairs at 
the time of delisting. Additionally, 92 percent of pairs nest on 
natural substrates in all regions except the Midwestern/Northeastern 
region, where only 32 percent nest on natural substrates. Our estimates 
of the nesting parameters and the additional data from across the 
United States indicate that the peregrine falcon population is secure 
and vital. The next coordinated nationwide monitoring effort, scheduled 
for 2006, is underway.
    Copies of the 2003 monitoring results may be requested from Michael 
Green (see contact information, above). This report is also available 
on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/endangered/recovery/peregrine/.

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: October 6, 2006.
Chris McKay,
Regional Director, Region 1, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17009 Filed 10-12-06; 8:45 am]
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