RACING PIGEONS – IMPACT OF RAPTOR PREDATION

pigeons are available to peregrines, it was also necessary to adopt the approach of
deriving a single nationwide estimate.
Table 1. Contribution of domestic pigeons to the summer diet of peregrines, assessed
from prey remains, in different National Peregrine Survey census regions.
Region % Pigeon in Diet Source
Number Weight
Highlands 31 31 Redpath & Thirgood 1997
Dumfries & Galloway 49 70 Mearns 1983
Dumfries & Galloway (Langholm) 55 64 Redpath & Thirgood 1997
Cheviots 36 51 Dixon (in press)
NW England - inland 53 77 Ratcliffe 1993
Pennines 46 47 Redpath & Thirgood 1997
Each parameter, and the associated available data, required in each of the four stages
of the derivation of a nationwide estimate of peregrine kills of Scottish racing pigeons
are discussed below:
(i) Estimation of peregrine total seasonal prey biomass
Number of peregrines
From the 2002 National Peregrine Survey the total numbers of breeding pairs, nonbreeding
pairs and single birds on territory in the 15 relevant census regions (Figure
1) are 630, 65 and 93 respectively (Table 2). A further 255 non-territorial single birds
were estimated for these regions. Breeding success was assumed to be an average of
2 nestlings per territorial pair for 14 days (total 1390 nestlings) with a fledging rate of
1.2 per territorial pair (total 834 fledglings).
Table 2. Numbers of peregrines in different regions of Scotland and England in which
Scottish racing pigeons are available to peregrines. Data from the 2002 National
Peregrine Survey.
Region
Breeding
pairs
Territories Occupied
Nonbreeding
pairs
Single
birds
No
Territory
Single
birds*
Highlands 83 6 31 14
Argyll 49 8 16 13
NE Scotland 54 2 3 25
Tayside 71 13 14 28
Central 28 5 4 13
S. Strathclyde 27 4 3 13
Lothian & Borders 36 5 6 15
Dumfries & Galloway 74 0 4 33
Cheviots 21 2 0 12
NW England - inland 62 8 7 28
NE England - coastal 6 0 0 3
NE England - inland 4 0 0 2
Pennines 73 7 4 36
Central Eastern England 7 2 0 5
Southeast England 35 3 1 18
630 65 93 255
* One single peregrine assumed for each pair (UK Raptor Working Group 2000)
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