MARCH 1, 2005
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Set Free Jo Ham (inset left) releases a Peregrine Falcon that she found stuck in fence in Grand Ronde. The falcon was taken to an animal clinic and treated for its wounds
before going to the Audubon Society of Portland, where Wildlife Care Center Director Bob Sallinger (inset right) put the bird through several weeks of rehabilitation.
Sallinger s theory was that the falcon was injured while diving for prey. A dead goose was found near the falcon. Falcon prey ranges in size from sparrows to geese.
A Peregrine Falcon was found caught in a fence near the Willamina Middle School in Grand Ronde.
By Toby McClary
On an afternoon in mid Decem
ber, community member Jo Elam
was on her daily routine and no
ticed something stuck in a fence as
she stopped at the post office. Af
ter further investigation, this
"something" happened to be a male
American Peregrine Falcon.
"It looked like a goose of some sort
from a distance," said Elam.
With the help of two employees
Photos by Toby McClary
the breeding cycle of these falcons."
After the injuries had healed, the
bird was taken to the Audubon
Society of Portland where he met
Wildlife Care Center Director Bob
Sallinger.
"The falcon was in very good
health when I got him," said
Sallinger. "The vet did an excel
lent job at setting the fracture."
The falcon was in Sallinger's care
at the Grand Ronde Sanitary Dis
trict, Elam freed the bird from the
fence. She then took the bird to
the post office where Postmaster
Phil Burris found a box large
enough to transport it to a veteri
nary clinic.
"While everyone was searching
for a camera, it just so happened
that I had a camera phone," said
Burris as he showed off the picture.
Elam then transported the bird
to McMinnville Animal Hospital
where it stayed for a couple of
months being nursed back to
health. It had a broken wing and
a large puncture wound to the
chest.
"I visited the bird a few times
while it was in the clinic," said
Elam. "I care about the bird and
think this makes a huge impact on
for about eight weeks to undergo
physical therapy and limited exer
cise. Sallinger moved the bird
through a series of flight cages to
retrain him on jumping, perching
and different flight patterns.
"We were dealing with the world's
fastest animal," said Sallinger. "It's
comparable to rehabilitating a
world class athlete."
The American Peregrine Falcon
is the fastest species on earth and
can dive at speeds of over 200 miles
per hour trying to land its prey.
After many weeks of supervision,
Sallinger felt that the falcon was
rehabilitated enough to release. On
February 11, in the field behind
Willamina Middle School, Sallinger
put the falcon back in the hands
that found it, (Elam), and set it free.
"I wonder how that falcon is do
ing," said Elam.
"I look for it ev
ery time I go to
the post office."
Peregrine fal
cons came close to
extinction in the
late 1960s with
only two known
nesting sights in
California, and
none in Oregon
or Washington.
By 1970, they
had vanished en
tirely from all
states east of the
Mississippi River.
They are making
a comeback now,
having 89
known sites in
the state of Or
egon alone.
These birds of
prey were just re
cently taken off
of the federal
Endangered Spe
cies Act, but re
main on the state
of Oregon's en
dangered species
list.
Several pairs of
peregrines have
made nests on
some of the
bridges in Port-
land, including the Fremont, St.
Johns and the George Abernathy
Bridge. Peregrines have made
homes on the Fremont Bridge since
1993 and 18 falcons have hatched
and become adults since then.
4 o K '
"-A I
Comeback Story Peregrine Falcons were almost
extinct in the late 1 960s. Widespread use of a pesticide
known as DDT caused peregrine egg shells to become thin
and crack during incubation. By 1 975, there were no known
nesting sites in the state of Oregon and only two in the state
of California. Due to the ban of DDT, these birds are on the
road to recovery. There are now 89 known nesting sites in
the state of Oregon alone. Peregrine Falcons are the fastest
species on Earth and can dive at speeds of 200 miles per
hour to catch their prey.
"We pay attention to each indi
vidual falcon, as well as the total
population," said Sallinger. "I hope
to see a thriving population in the
next 20 years and I think we are
headed in the right direction."