The National Peregrine Survey 2002

Why all this interest in Peregrines?

After all, the 1991 survey had shown that their numbers have increased substantially – in fact, there appeared to be more breeding in the UK and Isle of Man than there were in the 1930s, before pesticides started to affect them. (Although it should be noted that Peregrine numbers in the 1930s were subject to persecution of a variety of sorts and that they were thus depressed to an unknown extent).

1) The Peregrine is an icon of success for conservation.

• In 1961, the year of the first survey organised by Derek Ratcliffe on behalf of the BTO, Peregrines were found to have all but disappeared from southern England and were severely reduced throughout Wales, Northern England, Northern Ireland and Southern Scotland.
• The organochlorine pesticides DDT and dieldrin were soon implicated in these declines and as a result of concerted conservation efforts over decades, these pesticides were eventually phased out of use and Peregrine and other raptor populations began to recover.

2) Peregrines have always been in conflict with game-keeping and pigeon racing interests.

• In 1995, the Government saw the need to set up the UK Raptor Working Group to consider the perceived conflicts between the recovery of some bird of prey populations and game birds, moorland management and pigeon racing.
• In its report, based on consensus of all the interested parties, the group recognised the need for accurate information on birds of prey as a pre-requisite for decision making.

3) The 1991 survey had shown some worrying regional declines.

• This was despite an overall increase in the numbers of Peregrines.
• Peregrines had shown very large declines in North and West Scotland, areas in which they had held their own during the organochlorine era.

4) The UK and Isle of Man holds about 15% of all Peregrines in Europe.

• So we have a special responsibility to steward these populations.
• It is important for government and conservation organisations to receive up-to-date population estimates to ensure that these populations are being maintained.

5) Peregrines are top predators and can act as indicators.

• They can indicate the quality of the food chain and of the surrounding environment.
• They can be considered to be an equivalent of the miner’s canary for large tracts of our wilder countryside.

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