Pallid Falcon?
The 2018 spring peregrine falcon survey at South Padre Island, Texas was conducted April 11 through May 2. In 244 man-hours our biologists observed 468 peregrines, capturing 56 and recapturing four. Two adult males, 35 adult females and 19 second-year females were captured; an astonishing 11 of the adult females had been banded during our previous surveys. A female banded during her second year in spring 2004 is now almost 15 years of age, and a female banded in spring 2009 as an adult will be at least 11 this summer. Most notable this spring was our first capture (among over 15,000 peregrines captured during the course of our studies at Padre and Assateague Islands) of an adult female strongly resembling a pallid falcon. A very light color phase among some peregrines in Tierra del Fuego, any previous appearance at Padre Island is undocumented. Full details on the spring survey will be included in our report at year’s end.
