peregrine falcon?

Canadian Peregrine

The Sociedad Ornitologica Hispanola played a big part in calling to attention the plight of this Peregrine Falcon which was under threat of being killed by citizens of San Francisco de Macoris because it was killing the "palomas".

The Sociedad was informed that the Falcon had a satelite transmitter on it's back and located via the Web the scientists.

And from here on it is recorded history see

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/programs/trackem/tracklight.html , for all the information.

Wonder if Lightning has found himself a little Dominicanita and is waiting for her to get her visa???

Really El Jefe

Childish,childish,childish!!!! Now go to your room with no supper!!!!!

For you serious folk out there "Lightning" has been caotured by the National Police (at least we now know they can catch something!!) and is being transported to the National Zoo in Santo Domingo. From there he will be sent back to Canada so the Peregrine Falcon Ass'n can continue to study his behaviour to learn more about this endangered species.

So now we unaturally fly him back to Canada so we can study his natural habits like migrating to the DR???

Welllllllllll

If Dominicans were a little more intelligent they'd leave him be.....and he's fly back on his own.
As it is he's in great danger of being killed by an uninformed "native" so.......go figure!
Only in the DR.......notice the one that went to Colombia is doing well there and expected to start the trip home soon!!!!

Hello! I have just discovered this forum. I want to take this opportunity to assure everyone that the overwhelming majority of people who have contacted us from the Dominican Republic are very concerned for Lightning's safety, and many have gone far out of their way to help us over the past two weeks.

It's true that there were initially some threats made on Lightning's life, and of course we are concerned that this possibility remains. It is unfortunate that the red-tailed hawk was attacked yesterday in Santiago. However, it appears that this particular bird escaped from captivity and was unnaturally tame - most wild birds would not be nearly as easy to approach and attack.

Overall, though, it seems to me that the attention which Lightning has received in the media has resulted in a remarkably positive shift in attitudes toward not only him, but raptors in general. I would like to thank in particular Pedro Rodriguez for constantly keeping us up to date on the latest developments and playing a key role in educating people locally about Lightning, and Ultima Hora newspaper for their ongoing commitment to this story.

Rather than be dismayed at the violent actions of a small minority, I prefer to congratulate the large part of the population which has embraced this bird and expressed their admiration for him. I hope that interest in Lightning will continue after he has left the country, and that he will leave behind him a legacy of increased interest and concern for birds of prey.

Marcel Gahbauer
Canadian Peregrine Foundation
marcel@peregrine-foundation.ca

Are there other types of falcons in the DR?

I have seen some of these birds in the mountains of SFM and had no idea they were migratory. The local farmers shoot them because they are afraid they will eat their hens or guineas. It is great that this information was published and I hope it has an impact.

Hey Mo.....

I was just "quoting" the story on the DR1 home page.....so if it isn't "Lightning" the National Police nabbed the wrong bird!!!
And just when I thought they were improving their record too!!
We'll have to check the "Lightning" webpage to find out where he is!!!

I wanted to post a reply with a quote but i couldn't get it to work??

Anyway, because I think it is important I will do it again, damnit!

I was quoting TomF's query about other pirds of prey in the DR.
Here is the most definitive answer I could find:

En la isla Hispaniola tenemos representantes de cuatro familias del orden Falconiformes: 1. Cathardidae: Aura Ti?osa. 2. Accipitridae: El Guaraguao, el Guaraguaito de sierra y el Gavil?n. 3. Falconidae: La Cuyaya, y 4. Pandionidae: El Guincho.

P. 61
Aves de la Rep?blica Dominicana
Anabelle Stockton de Dodd
1978
Museo Nacional de Historia Natural

If you ever see this book and can legally obtain it-that is do not steal one!- GET IT!!


HB

Lightning!!

For all the latest....
http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/programs/trackem/tracklight.html

Been too busy with work to reply. The link did not work for you Mobrouser? Well it happens, as do lots of things with computers especially if you work with them. It is the same link as MommC has posted.

The bird that was caught by the Santiago police was a Red-tailed Hawk or "Gauraguao". Not a Falcon nor an Osprey as some reported. This was an escaped captive bird in bad condition now being kept in Santo Domingo Zoo.

On the subject of books the best one is "A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies" by Raffaele et. al. The Sociedad Ornitologica Hispanola are in process of putting together a book of common Dominican Birds to help with teaching about conservation etc.

I am not a member of the club due to geographical reasons but participate as a member of the SociedadOrnitologicaHispaniola group on Yahoo's newly named Yahoo Groups and am a friend of their President. He has a web page www.drbirds.com which if you type into Internet explorer, should work.

Mobrouser thanks for the verification of the link.

At the moment in the Dominican Republic there are many birds, warblers, waders, raptors etc. which will be getting ready for the return journey to North America. One other bird which had been tracked by radio/satelite antenae was an Osprey, I think last year. If I find the web page I will post it. Unlike Lightning our "ave famoso" these Ospreys carried on to South America.

It was long ago (1986), but I have visited the Dominican Republic before - I stayed for a week in Sosua, and made a few sidetrips during my time there. I did find everyone very friendly, and having even this slight personal connection with the country has made the recent events even more meaningful for me. I would love to come back someday and see the particular sites where Lightning has made his home during the winter.

Since this story began, I have been receiving dozens of e-mails every day from people in both the Dominican Republic and Canada. Some have read the more negative articles and remain concerned about the bird's safety, but I have assured them that the people who would still consider harming him are a small minority, and that the majority of people are now actively interested in his survival.

I've also had several requests for me to continue posting updates on this board. I would love to, but with the volume of mail (and other work) that is coming to me, I can't afford to do regularly. I will continue to post any updates about Lightning on his page of the Canadian Peregrine Foundation website (www.peregrine-foundation.ca/programs/trackem/tracklight.html) as soon as they become available, and hope that anyone interested in following the story will keep track of it there.

Thanks again to all of you who have shown interest and support for Lightning!

Marcel Gahbauer
Canadian Peregrine Foundation
marcel@peregrine-foundation.ca

Other of the Falcon family that can be seen in the DR is the Merlin which is Migratory and the North American Kestral(Or SparrowHawk) which also Migratory but some stay in the DR year round. Other Raptors include Hawks,(Red-Tailed Hawk, The Cooper's Hawk and the White tailed Hawk) Kites(white-tailed kite, Snail Kite) and Vultures(Turkey Vulture and sometimes the Black Vulture) And of course the Osprey(Sometimes called the FishHawk)
One Raptor that can only be found in the DR is the Ridgeway Hawk. A subspecies of the Red-Tailed Hawk.
I met Miss Stockton-Dodd on numerous occaisions and even have an autographed copy of here book. She was a very knowledgeable birder and here book was adequate but the illustrations were of no use.


Tony C.

Tony, I, too, met Anabella several times when she was traipising around the hill. Never got the autograph, however.

why are the illustrations so bad? I have usually had luck with finding out the birds around here...

Hummm...Well, until they come out with a better one...it will have to do, I guess.

Hb

As promised I looked for the Osprey migration Web Pages. Unfortunately the information is not current on the following two Web Pages but they still show you the movements of other vistors from North America to Hispaniola.

http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/content.asp?page=3500

http://www.birdsofprey.org