The Chicago Peregrine Program
By the 1960s the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) was extinct in many states - including Illinois - because of the negative effects of the pesticide DDT. But, thanks to dedicated reintroduction...
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[[The Brain Scoop theme ]] Emily: So we're back at the museum with Mary Hennen who is Collections Assistant here in birds, as well as the director of the Peregrine Falcon Program. So, can you tell us a little bit about the background of the program and how it relates to what we're doing here at the Field Museum? Mary: The program came around in the mid-80's when Illinois came onboard to try to help return the species to the state. So you had a bird that was historically here that was gone due to man's influence. That had to do with DDT affecting the eggshells--too thin. The weight of the adults crushed them. And you had no breeding birds in the area. And that's called extirpation, when they go extinct in a particular area. It...
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[[The Brain Scoop theme ]] Emily: So we're back at the museum with Mary Hennen who is Collections Assistant here in birds, as well as the director of the Peregrine Falcon Program. So, can you tell us a little bit about the background of the program and how it relates to what we're doing here at the Field Museum? Mary: The program came around in the mid-80's when Illinois came onboard to try to help return the species to the state. So you had a bird that was historically here that was gone due to man's influence. That had to do with DDT affecting the eggshells--too thin. The weight of the adults crushed them. And you had no breeding birds in the area. And that's called extirpation, when they go extinct in a particular area. It...
