Local team films wild peregrine falcon eyrie

By Maggie Plummer

High on a cliff in the Mission Mountains, overlooking the cool waters of Flathead Lake near Bigfork, some scientific history is in the making.

Byron Crow, a wildlife biologist and independent peregrine falcon researcher based in Polson, and his research team successfully placed a custom-made video camera on a wild peregrine falcon nest (called an "eyrie") in February.

It's a first.

Although video cameras have recorded falcons nesting and feeding their young on the high ledges of city buildings, never before has a wild falcon eyrie been filmed, according to Byron.

Another first is the falcons being recorded 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That means researchers get to see the peregrines doing everything from incubating eggs to raising their young until they can fly away on their own.

Previously, falcons were filmed during the day but not at night, and researchers didn't save the video footage for future studies.

Byron said in a recent interview that the team is still filming them this summer and will continue until the falcons leave, which he figures will be early August or so.

The peregrine falcon (also known as the "Duck Hawk") is a raptor that stands 16 to 18 inches tall, is noted for its piercing screams, and flies very fast with "jet fighter" swept wings.

The peregrine hunts on the wing, which means it flies high overhead until it sees prey, most commonly water fowl. Then it tucks into a fast dive (called a stoop) and hits its prey from above, knocking it to the ground.

Peregrine falcons nest on high cliff faces and make their eyries in holes or deep overhangs that protect them from the elements and from predators (in Montana these are mostly Golden Eagles and Great Horned Owls).

Peregrines do not commonly build stick nests. Instead the female makes a small depression in the soft dirt in the eyrie and lays two to four eggs directly on this surface. Peregrines are known to sometimes take over unused raven or red-tailed hawk nests.

Peregrine falcons don't like to be disturbed and will defend their territory, vigorously warding off animals, birds and humans if they get too close for the birds' comfort.

One of the trickiest parts of this research project is that the equipment has to run for six months, Byron explained. The equipment had to be set up and the cameras in place before the falcons returned from migration, so they wouldn't be driven away.

Then, once the equipment was in place, it couldn't be removed or adjusted for fear of disturbing the birds.

"It's doing its own thing," Byron commented. "I go retrieve data now and then. The system came from Multi-Media Solutions, a Missoula company. The engineers built it for me."

Byron feels that what makes this project so wonderful and challenging is that the peregrine falcon has made a dramatic recovery since the 1970s and 80s, when it almost became extinct.

Affected by the use of DDT in agriculture, the peregrine's eggs would break under the weight of the female during incubation.

By 1981 there were no recorded wild peregrines nesting in the State of Montana.

In fact, one of the last known active peregrine falcon territories was located here on the Flathead Reservation, in the Gray Wolf area.

Through the elimination of DDT use and an extensive reintroduction effort, the peregrine came back and by August 1999 was de-listed from the Federal Threatened/Endangered Species list.

For six years, Byron had the idea of filming and studying a peregrine falcon eyrie.

Finally, he approached Multimedia Solutions Inc. and, with support from Jim Rogers and the Mission Mountain Audubon Society, got the ball rolling to build and install the first video system to be self supportive, run day and night, and document the activities of a natural peregrine eyrie.

Earlier this year, Byron got to observe a bushy-tailed wood rat (pack rat) in the eyrie while the female incubated her eggs.

"We observed her eating a Thompson ground squirrel and so much more," the researcher said. "It is almost overwhelming what we are actually able to witness. The best part is that it all started right here in Montana. With this data, what little we have to start with, we have really caused a stir, and now interest in expanding this study is already in the works."

The whole idea of the research is to know, not guess, what is happening to the natural peregrine falcon population.

The project is funded through private support.

There is also an educational component to Byron's research, involving Polson High School's environmental science class. Next year, when his live camera will be available on the Internet, any school district, researcher, or individual across the country or around the world will be able to monitor falcon-nesting activities.

The research team is continually seeking funds to help offset expenses. Any and all donations are tax deductible and may be sent to Mission Mountain Audubon Society, 48901 Hwy. 93, Suite A-179, Polson MT 59860 Ref: Falcon project.

For more information, contact Byron Crow, Field Worx Consulting, 5 - 13th Ave. W., Polson MT 59860. His phone number is (406) 253-1514.