Peregrine Falcons. Falco Peregrinus in the Central Kuskokwim River Area, Alaska. Anchorage Field Office

Peregrine falcon nesting surveys were conducted along the Kuskokwim River between McGrath and Aniak from 2000 to 2004. These surveys were part of the peregrine recovery plan to monitor the birds for five years after they were removed from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service List of Threatened and Endangered Species. The study determined the abundance and productivity of peregrines in cliff nesting habitats along the Kuskokwim River. The number of peregrines and young produced were compared with data from 1976 when populations were first accurately assessed. The results of this study and comparisons with earlier data suggest that the peregrine population was at or near its lowest level in 1976, then steadily increased throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. In 2004, 20 pairs of peregrines occupied breeding territories, the highest recorded since 1976, indicating the breeding population may still be increasing.