Peregrine falcon (pealei and anatum/tundrius) COSEWIC assessment and status report: chapter 11

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Existing Protection or Other Status Designations

The Peregrine Falcon is protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which restricts the import and export of birds and eggs in signatory countries. It is listed in Appendix 1 of CITES as a “most critically endangered” species. Like other raptors, Peregrine Falcons are not protected by the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act. However, the Peregrine Falcon is listed on Schedule 1 of the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), and therefore, protected on federal lands.

Under SARA, Anatum and Pealei Peregrine Falcons are on Schedule 1 and the Tundrius Peregrine Falcon is on Schedule 3 (see SARA website: Schedule 3). The General Status of Species in Canada gives an overall rank of 4, or Secure in Canada for the Peregrine Falcon. It considers Peregrine Falcons At Risk in AB, SK, MB, ON, NB, NS, Sensitive in YT, NT, BC, QC, NL and Secure in NU (CESCC 2006).

In the USA, the Anatum Peregrine was delisted as an Endangered species and is now managed under control of the Office of Migratory Bird Management (Federal Register 1999). Harvesting is now allowed in the lower 48 states under the USFWS (2003) Peregrine Falcon management plan.

The Peregrine Falcon is also protected under all provincial and territorial wildlife acts but details of such protection vary between provinces and territories. Status designations at the provincial and territorial levels vary across the country with those designations having various legal meanings (Table 9).