May 26, 2021
Peregrine Falcons may migrate over 10,000 kilometers between their North American nesting grounds and South American wintering areas.
IBCP’s Nico Arcilla joins other researchers at the 12th Peruvian Ornithology Congress on May 27th, 2021, to present her collaborative work with Peregrine Falcon expert, Oscar Beingolea, on peregrines’ long-distance migrations between Peru and North America. True to their name, which means 'pilgrim' or 'wanderer,' peregrines wintering in Peru come from nesting areas across North America, from Alaska to Greenland. The extreme flexibility peregrines demonstrate in scattering to far-flung destinations was instrumental in their successful recovery from near extinction in North America due to pesticide poisoning. While highly dispersive on a population level, individual peregrines often return repeatedly to the same breeding and wintering sites. Nearly three-quarters of the peregrines found wintering in Peru were male. Male and female peregrines tend to use different migration pathways and wintering areas—a phenomenon known as differential migration. Males may fly two to four times farther on migration than their female counterparts, with females predominantly stopping in Central America while males continue to Peru and elsewhere in South America. "To realize that these birds regularly cover such enormous distances was truly stunning," Oscar said.
We will also encourage applications to the second annual Oscar Beingolea Raptor Research Grant. This grant provides financial support for field research on raptors in Latin America, the Guianas, and the Caribbean, including projects on poorly known species, systems, or questions, and with conservation and/or community engagement components. Prospective applicants can find more information and apply via the following link: