Fact Sheets

Historically, the peregrine falcon was a rare but indigenous nesting species in Manitoba until the early 1950's. Nesting records dating back to as early as 1880 were confirmed or considered possible in the York Factory, Churchill, the northwest end of Lake Winnipeg, Lake St. Martin, Gladstone, Carberry, Stony Mountain, and Winnipeg areas. The decline of this species began in the 1950's, with chlorinated hydrocarbons (DDT and PCB's) linked to eggshell thinning and resulting low productivity of these birds.

A release program, was initiated in Manitoba in 1981. Release sites were in Winnipeg, Brandon, Gimli, and Portage la Prairie. A nest site on the Radisson Hotel in downtown Winnipeg continued to be active every year since first used by returning falcons in 1989. In 1993, a second nest site became active in south Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba and the same year a third nest became active in Brandon. During 1995, a fourth pair nested on the Hotel Fort Garry in downtown Winnipeg. This pair moved to the Manitoba Legislative Building in 1996. A total of 41 wild-produced falcons have fledged from these nest sites since 1981.

Although increased nesting during the mid-1990s suggested that Manitoba was nearing its goal of four nesting pairs as set out in the National Recovery Plan, not all nest sites are active each year. In 2001, for instance, only the downtown Winnipeg site was known to be active. A committee of conservation agencies and businesses has been set up to promote public awareness, fund-raise and continue monitoring nesting populations in Manitoba. The peregrine falcon was designated by Manitoba as Endangered in 1992.