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It is estimated that the environment provides approximately $150 trillion of economic benefit every year for free (Jiang et al. 2021). The Peregrine Falcon and Bald Eagle are just two of many stories that demonstrate the power of regulation to preserve the world that we all live in and depend on.

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In some cases, the damage could be irreversible, as many endangered species could very quickly go extinct without protections. Environmental regulations protect not only plant and animal species but every person on the planet through clean air and water.

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The recovery of these species is due almost entirely to legislation that is scheduled to be officially “sunset” by Executive Order dated 9 April 2025 (“Zero-based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy). The damage that this could cause could take decades of effort to recover from.

the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), and Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), there are currently ~5,000 Peregrine Falcons and ~300,000 Bald Eagles in the lower 48!

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Due to the use of DDT and other pesticides, there were fewer than 100 Peregrine Falcons in the lower 48 United States in the 1970s. Bald Eagles had dropped to fewer than 1000 individuals across the same area. Thanks to the effects of science-based environmental regulations such as...

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Read the full study here: bit.ly/AnnieSciencePaper And press release here: bit.ly/AnnieScienceRelease

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

UC Berkeley researchers just published a paper about conservation funding featuring Annie as a case study! They found that messaging can have a dramatic effect on donor sentiment, and that Annie's story led to positive associations.

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Not yet. Occasionally we see a bird, but no one regularly

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

What have Berkeley's falcons meant to you? Gretchen Kell from UC Berkeley's news office is looking for personal anecdotes with specific examples of how Annie and company have impacted your life/health/awareness, during the pandemic or any time. Email her at gkell@berkeley.edu

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

We just had a new falcon visiting the Campanile for 15 minutes or so. Fingers crossed it will continue to hang out and get to know the area! Based on head, bill shape, and skin and feather coloration, it appears to be a new bird. #peregrinefalcon #urbanwildlife #cal #berkeley #gobears

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Looks like a red-tailed hawk! Nice.

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Yes, they’re starting to see more and more birds with antibodies. Hopefully immunity will continue to build.

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Reposted by Cal Falcons

UC Berkeley @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

As avian flu continues to kill birds worldwide, @calfalcons.bsky.social says the disease "is hitting peregrines very hard right now,” and is likely why UC Berkeley’s resident falcon, Annie, and her mate, Archie, haven’t been seen on campus in nearly two months. news.berkeley.edu/2025/02/24/u...

news.berkeley.edu

UC Berkeley falcons Annie and Archie are missing. Is avian flu the cause? - Berkeley News

Cal Falcons says it's likely, as the pair hasn't been seen in nearly two months, and the disease "is hitting peregrines very hard right now."

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Annie may have simply decided she no longer likes the taste of pigeon and wants to spice things up with some sandpipers. We may never know... We will try to keep you all updated as we learn more!

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4) Some other dynamic is occurring that we don't understand Studying wildlife is an exceptionally difficult field. We are afforded only small snapshots into the lives of wild animals. Animals are complex and there could be any number of factors at play in any particular observation.

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3. Predation. -There are many predators out there, such as Owls or Eagles, that will prey on a Peregrine when the opportunity presents itself. We have seen large raptors in close proximity to the Campanile in the past, and we can't rule out the possibility that they have caused this disappearance.

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Peregrine Falcons are often highly wedded to the territory location, but they do change spots if the nesting environment is not ideal. This is not a very likely scenario, but is possible.

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2) Annie and Archie are changing their territory/nesting location due to the effects of HPAI. With substantial numbers of territories empty right now, it's possible that Annie and Archie are exploring options for breeding, maybe even looking for a different mate as pairs lose their partners

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Other options for what's happening right now are as follows: 1) Annie and Archie are totally fine and just hunting off campus and will return to the nest when they're ready. We've seen Annie disappear from the Campanile before. Perhaps she's just off in a new spot before returning to the Campanile.

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Have Annie and Archie succumbed to HPAI? We've seen no evidence of a sick/dying bird at the tower, and the last time Annie and Archie were seen, both looked to be healthy. Volunteers have checked for bodies at many of their favorite roosts and have not found anything, but it is still possible

Floaters are a sign of a healthy population and ecosystem. The decrease in number of floaters is also an indication that HPAI is affecting not just breeding pairs, but birds looking for their own territories as well. It could take some time for younger birds to fill open territories.

Aside from a couple of very brief sightings of a couple of other Peregrines on campus, it has been exceptionally quiet this winter. This is a marked contrast with the population 3-4 years ago, where there were regular intrusions at the Campanile by other falcons (called floaters).

In some parts of the Peregrine’s range, nearly 50% of historic territories are unoccupied due to this disease and case positivity rates are pushing 80%. Locally, approximately 40% of the peregrine territories here in the Bay Area are currently unoccupied, leaving a lot of unclaimed space.

This virulent and deadly disease is incredibly dangerous to many groups of birds, including shorebirds and raptors. In some species and for some strains of the disease, mortality is over 90% for infected individuals. It is hitting Peregrines very hard right now in some parts of the world

However, this absence is abnormal and it's worth taking a moment to lay out the possibilities of what's going on based on what we know. First of all, we have the elephant in the room: highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

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This is the first time we've seen such an extended absence from the tower. Although concerning, it is certainly possible that Annie and Archie may show up next month. Our typical first egg has been in mid-March, so there's still a huge open window for breeding to occur this year.

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Hi everyone, All three cameras are back in operation, including the upgraded South/West camera. We also wanted to take a moment to talk about how quiet things have been on this site and also at the Campanile. Neither Annie nor Archie has been seen at the Campanile since early January.

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In performing the upgrades, we had to temporarily take the north/east camera offline. It will be back up before the breeding season starts.

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

Winter season affords us an opportunity to perform maintenance and upgrades. This year, we upgraded our south/west camera! It should provide sharper images and fix some focus issues that we have had. Huge thank you to Peter Sharpe at the Institute for Wildlife Studies for lending his expertise!

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

They are quite vulnerable to respiratory infections, yes.

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 05/12/2024

We received the final pathology report from UC Davis. Nox died due to a bacterial infection and pneumonia. We wanted to send our heartfelt thank you to all the veterinarians and wildlife care volunteers that assisted along Nox's journey. We'll miss him. news.berkeley.edu/2024/12/05/n...

news.berkeley.edu

Nox the falcon died of pneumonia, says UC Davis veterinary pathology report - Berkeley News

UC Berkeley's youngest falcon died Oct. 23 after being released into the wild just three days earlier.

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Last day to get your orders in for our winter fundraiser!

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

5 days left in our Winter Fundraiser!!! Are you looking for a gift this holiday season for a bird fan in your life? We’ve got you covered! All proceeds will go o education, outreach, and streaming! Check out all our designs and styles here: www.customink.com/fundraising/...

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Cal Falcons @calfalcons.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Looking for a gift for the bird lover in your life? Check out our winter fundraiser! We have three awesome styles available! All proceeds will go towards streaming, outreach, and research. bit.ly/cal_falcons_...

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We owe a deep debt of gratitude to Bay Raptor Rescue, Wildcare, and the UC Davis California Raptor Center. Your excellent care of Little Boy Blue gave us hope at every moment of his journey. Thank you.

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Losing him is incredibly difficult, especially with how much work he and his human caretakers put in to return to the wild from his initial injury. We will all always treasure the moments we had with him. Photos: Cal Falcons + Moon_rabbit_rising

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After spending a month rehabbing and learning how to fly and hunt again, Nox was ready to be released back into the wild last week. Unfortunately, Nox was discovered on the ground on Monday and returned to care. We still don't know the cause of his illness and death

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When Nox reached the age when juvenile Peregrines strike off on their own, he was found with a broken wing at the Berkeley Marina, likely after a collision. His injury was devastating but through the herculean efforts of raptor biologists, veterinarians, and others, he recovered.

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