Harpers Ferry National Historical Park hosts peregrine falcons

Emmett Gartner, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·2 min read

Feb. 9—For the third consecutive year, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park has two peregrine falcons nesting atop a rocky bluff overlooking the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.

The appearance of falcons prompted park officials to reinstate a set of temporary closures for surrounding climbing areas on Maryland Heights from Feb. 15 to July 31.

Park officials do not know if it's the same falcons each year.

Peregrines, once common on the steep cliffs of Maryland Heights from the late 1800s to 1950s, were largely absent from the park until 2021.

That year, a peregrine chick successfully hatched and fledged — developed feathers for flight — for the first time in roughly 70 years. A pair returned to nest in 2022 and the park made similar closures.

Their absence, according to supervisory park ranger Kristen Maxfield, was linked to population declines from a widely used pesticide called DDT, which weakened the eggshells of peregrines and other birds of prey in the United States and reduced their ability to successfully reproduce.

The U.S. banned the pesticide in 1972 and peregrine populations have since rebounded, though they are considered rare in Maryland and West Virginia and threatened in Virginia.

In 2001, an interagency coalition attempted to reintroduce peregrines to the park by releasing around 30 of them over a four-year span.

None took up permanent residence on Maryland Heights until 2015, and for the years that followed, there were only occasional sightings of adult males and females, according to Maxfield.

Peregrine falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica and are one of the fastest birds in the world, with top speeds of 60 miles per hour in level flight and over 200 miles per hour when diving.

Their presence in Harpers Ferry is a promising sign to Maxfield.

"The return of the peregrine signifies the return of a top predator to the ecosystem, success in overcoming obstacles to declining species, and hope for a future in which both peregrines and humans can thrive," Maxfield wrote in an email.

Keeping people away helps make sure the falcons are not disturbed, which helps them nest, according to Maxfield.

The closures include several rock outcroppings near the overlook and the following climbing areas:

— The Gully

— Sign Wall

— ABC Ramps

— Train Tunnel Wall

— Confederate Walls