Since 1987 the Brehm Fund has supported a national conservation project for a bird species that was almost extinct in Central Europe in the 1970s: the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). The chemical burdens caused by the unrestricted use of toxic DDT in agriculture became disastrous for this terminal member of the food chain, as well as for other raptors. Breeding failed due to too brittle egg shells and, as a consequence, dying nestlings. Despite the later prohibition of DDT use, this species would likely have disappeared from our landscape had not prudent nature conservationists initiated a rescue program to encourage the survival and reintroduction of this elegant flier.

Our project partner is the Peregrine Falcon Breeding and Research Station Hamburg, which completed its almost 30-year-program of reintroducing rock-breeding falcons in 1996. The resettling of large areas, mainly in Hessen, North-Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony and, after the political changes in eastern Germany, in the new federal states, had been very successful. Even before German reunification, many falcons released into the wild had crossed the border to occupy deserted breeding sites in the former GDR, where the species had gone extinct at the beginning of the 1970s. Following successful contacts with eastern nature conservationists engaged in the "Arbeitskreis Wanderfalkenschutz" (AWS) [Peregrine Protection Working Group],  an intensive cooperation started between the Hamburg station and regional conservation groups. Especially successful was the release of falcons in the uplands along the Elbe river. In 2004, in the "Sächsische Schweiz" National Park in Saxony, after only nine years 22 breeding pairs were registered. Meanwhile the Saxon population is expanding into the Bohemian part of this mountain range in the Czech Republic. The captive breeding action was also valuable because it was proven for the first time that all breeding falcons originated in fact from the release program. Additionally, the offspring of this now self-maintaining population are carefully observed, individuals being identified by special bands. The first positive results have also come from our northern neighbor Denmark: the female of the first proven breeding pair was identified as a "Hamburg station bird".

In February 2002, the old station had to be given up and the birds had to move into a provisional facility. Despite these circumstances, 17 falcons were raised and released in that year, securing continuous occupation at all three places. The new station offers space for 20 pairs. Past experience was valuable in planning the new construction. The move took place in December 2002. Due to the stress involved in the move, in the following breeding season only 19 falcons, amounting to half of a regular season, were able to be raised. However the birds seemed to have adapted well to the new cages.

After the decrease in breeding activity in 2003 caused by the move, the reproductive success increased in the following year. Altogether 30 young falcons were raised by 11 pairs, of which 29 were released in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony-Anhalt. There was also reason for celebration when the 1000th Peregrine Falcon raised within the German captive breeding program was released into the wild. Hopefully this breeding success can be continued over this and the next years.

Alongside the falcons breeding on rocks or high buildings (= artificial rocks), before the DDT-induced population collapse in Central Europe there was also a tree-breeding population. It represented the largest, densest, and most successful of all the populations of this species, extending from the north German lowlands to Poland, the Baltic states, Russia, Finland, and southern Sweden. This population, probably consisting of more than 2000 breeding pairs, became completely extinct. According to AWS experts, a spontaneous recovery of the tree-breeding population by introducing birds derived from rock-breeding pairs was unlikely. Hence the broken tradition of tree-breeding had to be learned again by the falcons. This was the reason why, even before the political change in eastern Germany, release experiments with artificial tree eyries had been carried out. Since this method proved to be promising, a program was started to reintroduce the extinct tree-breeding population after German reunification. Starting in 1991, in cooperation with AWS Brandenburg and the Landesjagdverband [State Hunters' Association] of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the falcons raised at the Hamburg station were released into the wild at two places. Another release site in Saxony, supervised by the AWS, was added in 2000. The first success came in 1996, when a pair in Brandenburg raised young in an abandoned kite's nest for the first time in 30 years.

Meanwhile ten tree-breeding pairs have been proven for Brandenburg and two for Mecklenburg. Possibly more have remained undetected. In view of the extensive woodlands in the new German federal states, confirming breeding Peregrine Falcons is very difficult. However, this encouraging success gives rise to hopes of establishing a self-sustaining and expanding population of tree-breeders within 10-15 years.

So it is a great pleasure to be able to confirm that the Peregrine Falcon, a bird that was extinct in large parts of its former global range, has recovered today because of  prohibition of DDT use, strict protection laws, and the release of captive-bred young falcons. In Germany, the Hamburg station has contributed greatly to this success, thanks in large measure to support by the Brehm Fund.