This past weekend, while birding southwest of Columbia, I encountered a peregrine falcon, perched in a large tree on the banks of the Missouri River. Once common in the State, these magnificent raptors, like many others, were decimated by the use of DDT. Since that chemical was banned, peregrine falcons have become more common here, thanks to reintroduction programs and an increase in migrants from other regions.
Today, most of these large falcons breed across the Arctic, along northern coasts and throughout the mountain corridors of the West though some nest along rivers and lakes across the country. Others have also settled on tall buildings and bridges in large cities where large populations of pigeons and starlings offer a convenient source of prey. In the wild, peregrine falcons feed on a wide variety of birds, especially shorebirds and waterfowl, and are thus most often observed on floodplains, lakeshores and coastlines.
Checking on the current status of peregrine falcons in Missouri, I learned that 14 breeding pairs were documented in the State in 2021. Due to this "success" and an increased number of migrants along the Mississippi and Missouri River Valleys, peregrines were removed from the State's Endangered Species List last year. Reassuring? Not for this birder and naturalist!
