Prairie falcon research published in raptor journal

The Journal of Raptor Research's Volume 60, Number 3 (September 2026) features two publications detailing Boise State University Raptor Research Center work focused on prairie falcons in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area near Boise.

Steve Alsup (Master of Science in Raptor Biology, '12), Professor Jim Belthoff (Boise State University Raptor Research Center, Biological Sciences) plus partners Karen Steenhof, Michael Kochert and Todd Katzner (all have served on Boise State graduate committees) published their decades-long research in a feature article, "Prairie Falcon Hatching Dates Have Advanced Over Time, but Winter Weather Affects Interannual Variation in Timing of Breeding." The study evaluated if local weather and climate patterns had an influence on when prairie falcons began their nesting season over a 49-year period (1973-2021). Over time, as winter temperatures have increased, falcons have responded by initiating their breeding season six days earlier in the year, on average. However, if winter precipitation is higher than normal in a given year, falcons tend to delay the start of their breeding season.

"As we seek to better understand the full implications of our rapidly changing climate on wildlife species, this research gives us important insight into how one raptor species is responding in one part of their breeding range," Alsup said. "It also highlights the importance of collecting long-term population data so that land managers can make well-informed decisions before we realize a plant or wildlife population is in critical decline."

The authors of the included letter, "Photographic Evidence of American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) Agonistic Behavior Causing a Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) Nest Failure," are Zoe Bonerbo (Master of Science in Raptor Biology student), Assistant Professor Jen Cruz (Boise State University Raptor Research Center, Biological Sciences), and Boise State alum Andrew Baker ('25). The letter provides photographs documenting an American barn owl with young displacing a nesting prairie falcon pair on eggs.

"Normally Prairie Falcons are the dominant competitors but our photographs demonstrate the outcomes of interference competition may be more complicated," Bonerbo said. "We suggest that nesting phenology influenced the outcome of their competitive interaction as the American Barn Owls were further along in their nesting stage."

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