Peregrine Falcon – Oregon Conservation Strategy

Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Overview

Species Common Name Peregrine Falcon (American)
Species Scientific Name Falco peregrinus anatum
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon’s Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

Special needs

Peregrine Falcons typically nest on rocky cliffs or manmade structures. In the Coast Range, they may use offshore rocks and islands as nest sites.

Limiting factors

Eggshell thinning caused by organochlorine pesticides (residual DDT in the environment) remains a threat. Human disturbance from recreational or other activities at nests and reduction of prey populations may also impact this species.

Data gaps

Monitor exposure to environmental contaminants of concern and investigate the relationship between wintering locations of Oregon breeders and contaminant loads.

Conservation actions

Protect nest sites from disturbance. The federal monitoring plan (USFWS 2003, see below) provides information on management and conservation actions for this formerly federally-listed species.

Key reference or plan

USFWS Monitoring Plan for the American Peregrine Falcon