Protection
All raptors in the NWT, and their nests and eggs, are protected by legislation. A person found to be in illegal possession of such a bird or egg, whether it is alive or dead, is subject to a fine between two and ten thousand dollars, and/or up to two years in prison. If you find a dead or injured raptor, it must be turned in to the nearest Renewable Resource Officer.
The NWT maintains an active raptor research program. Each summer, peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons, golden eagles, and rough-legged hawks are surveyed by helicopter over thousands of square kilometres. The information collected is used to assess trends in population levels and reproductive performance which, in turn, are valuable indicators of contaminant levels in the environment. Intensive ecological work is also being carried out on gyrfalcons in the Central Arctic to better understand what factors effect yearly changes in reproductive success. Metal leg bands are attached to captured raptors by researchers in the NWT and elsewhere. Sightings and recoveries of these markers provide valuable information on migration patterns and life-spans. If you see or find a bird with such markers, please report the date, location, band number and band colour to the nearest Renewable Resource Officer.
Raptor nests (eyries) are usually situated in a location where it is inaccessible or invisible to most predators. The same pair will return year after year to the same nesting area and frequently to the same nest. It is important that a strong bond develop between a mated pair as the cooperation of both birds is required to incubate the eggs, feed the young (eyasses), and defend the nest site. This pair bond is often weakest during the initial breeding stages. Thus, it is very important not to disturb raptors at their nest sites. Human activity near a nest site during mating and incubation may cause a nest to be deserted.
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