The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Magazine

Article 17:
Overview of Peregrine breeding in the Netherlands in the 20th century

by Jan Putters
(2000)

1926: Schiermonnikoog (an island) - Nest on the ground in the dunes. One juvenile (ringed *) (*ringed = banded)

1930: Rottum (an island) - Nest on the ground in the dunes. 3 eggs. One egg was taken as evidence. Breeding failed because of heavy storms in which sand covered the nest.

1949: Hoge Veluwe (forest). Nest in a fir tree, four metres above the ground. Adult peregrines alarmed and attacked. On June 3 two juvenile birds flew out.

1950: Hoge Veluwe. Nest again in tree, 3.5 metres above the ground, 350 metres away from the place of the 1949 nest. 3 eggs. Three weeks later the nest was empty. A few kilometres further there was a nest found in a tree (7-8 metres high). 2 eggs; for unknown reasons the nest was deserted. Possibly the same birds.

1954: Hoge Veluwe. Couple of adult birds were seen. No more data.

1955: Hoge Veluwe. Probably breeding. After some time there was seen a calling juvenile peregrine with two adult birds.

1956: Hoge Veluwe. Nest with 3 eggs; disturbed by carrion crows.

1973: Harskampsche Zand (forest). A female peregrine was seen. Later on also a male peregrine. Both were calling and were seen several times that summer. Possible breeding; no nest found.

1976: Harskamsche Zand. Adult female was seen. She was calling loudly. At the same moment an adult male was seen; he was calling too. That day the male was also seen giving prey to the female. No juveniles seen.

1977: Harskampsche Zand. Two juvenile peregrines were seen. They were quite dexterous. To rest they used the poles of the high tension network. Beneath it were a lot of prey remains.

1978: Harskampsche Zand. Two adult peregrines were seen. Breeding unknown.

1979: Harskampsche Zand. A female peregrine was heard and seen. In a few minutes a male was with her. Later in the sesaon two juvenile birds were seen that almost couldn't fly. The female bird was there also.

1980: Harskampsche Zand. Two peregrines were seen. No alarm was heard.

1990: Maasdal, Midden Limburg (forest). Juvenile peregrine was seen.

1991: Harskampsche Zand. An adult couple was seen.

1991: Maasdal, Midden-Limburg. Nest (old one from crow). About 40 metres high on the outside of an old factory chimney. Two juveniles. Both parents were breeding; mostly the female.

1991: Noord-Drenthe (forest). Probably breeding. Couple of adult birds were seen near a pole of the high tension network (crows-nest). Some days earlier an adult peregrine was seen chasing away a young one. Later in the season the crows nest was pinched by a buzzard.

1992: Radio Kootwijk en Omgeving (forest). A couple was seen. No reason to believe that these birds bred.

1992: Maasdal, Midden-Limburg. Near the location of 1991. Again a couple was breeding on an old crows-nest in a pole of the high tension network (60 metres high). One juvenile. Another juvenile was found dead in the nest. The female peregrine was wearing a blue and black coloured-ring.

1992: Noord-Drenthe. Possible breeding. In the same area as the two birds were seen in 1991.

Notes:

In the 70's and 80's, peregrines were regularly seen during the summer in the Netherlands.
Most of the peregrine falcons seen in the Netherlands are born in the mountains of Germany (Eifel). That's probably the reason that they use similar places - for instance, the nuclear power building (concrete) in Antwerp, Belgium; and the breeding on the old factory chimney in 1991.

(SOURCE: ECOLOGICAL ATLAS OF THE RAPTORS IN THE NETHERLANDS BY ROB G. BIJLSMA)

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The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

Magazine

Article 17: Overview of Peregrine breeding in the Netherlands in the 20th century

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Article 17:
Overview of Peregrine breeding in the Netherlands in the 20th century