!!! PBDE’s May Affect Peregrine Nesting Behavior and Nest Success.
April 30, 2012 - International, National and Local News
Frank Butson Reports:
Taken from :New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife
C. David Jenkins, Chief
Endangered and Nongame Species Program
Peregrine Falcon
Research and Management Program in New Jersey, 2011
“We plan to continue the investigation of contaminants in unhatched, salvaged eggs, as well as the close monitoring of nesting pairs to detect problems. New research suggests the high levels of brominated fire-retardant chemicals (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) found in peregrines may affect adult peregrine nesting behavior and nest success, which certainly bears watching in NJ.”
The entire report is here: http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/downloads/cwnj_124.pdf
Of particular interest to CPF was the number of nest failures and eggs that failed to hatch. Last season Peregrine nests suffered a similar fate with many addled or unhatched eggs in southern Ontario, as well as complete nest failures. This season we are observing the same thing already. Its very important to continue monitoring incase this becomes a trend. To that end we thought the above passage from the report was very significant.