News & Notices - All Things PFC
Through our Cooperative Agreements Grant to study the Prairie Falcon, we have been monitoring six Prairie Falcon nests in the high desert west of Ridgecrest (CA) since spring of 2019. All of our sites are in the eastern front range of the Southern Sierra Nevada including eastern Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern. Although frequently encountered in the desert east of SR-14, the Prairie Falcon is a rare breeder in these higher (3000-ft+ altitude) desert sites west of the SR-14 and Hwy 395. Still favoring rocky ledges to nest and Antelope Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus) as their favored prey during the breeding season (but relying on a diet of birds during fall and winter), each of the monitored nests supported 1 or 2 nestlings in 2021, a decline from 2019 and 2020 . . . possibly due to extremely dry conditions (even for this desert) and (compared to recent years) extremely low Antelope and Mohave Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis) meta-populations as well as other favored prey such as the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris).
We've also got our eyes on six active Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nests, all of which were successful in 2021 (each pair fledged one or two young) despite low 2020-2021 winter rainfall and also possibly related, seemingly low Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) and Black-tailed Hare (Lepus californicus) numbers . . . introduced Chukar (Alectoris chukar), though, appear to be thriving and in 2021, a more common prey choice for at least four of the eagle pairs along with an assortment of large snakes including Red Racers (Coluber piceus), Gopher Snakes (Pituophis catenifer), Glossy Snakes (Arizona elegans), and rattlesnakes (Crotalus spp.).
We've also got our eyes on six active Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nests, all of which were successful in 2021 (each pair fledged one or two young) despite low 2020-2021 winter rainfall and also possibly related, seemingly low Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) and Black-tailed Hare (Lepus californicus) numbers . . . introduced Chukar (Alectoris chukar), though, appear to be thriving and in 2021, a more common prey choice for at least four of the eagle pairs along with an assortment of large snakes including Red Racers (Coluber piceus), Gopher Snakes (Pituophis catenifer), Glossy Snakes (Arizona elegans), and rattlesnakes (Crotalus spp.).
________________________________________
Support our research: Visit our site and donate to our Prairie Falcon Research Fund:
Through a generous donation, The PCCA & the Prairie Falcon Conservancy have been able to establish The Prairie Falcon Conservation Fund, a research-supporting endowment that will be held by the Imperial Valley Community Foundation, El Centro, CA.
Find out more about the Prairie Falcon Conservation Fund HERE:
www.ivcommunityfoundation.org/funds-&-programs/prairie-falcon-conservation-fund/
Find out more about the Prairie Falcon Conservation Fund HERE:
www.ivcommunityfoundation.org/funds-&-programs/prairie-falcon-conservation-fund/