Aplomado Falcon in Boulder Colorado

[jnelly32]

I just spoke with a photographer i know who informed me of an orange and black falcon that was sited in Boulder CO today. I attached the picture he sent me of the falcon. It looks to be a dead-ringer for an Aplomado.

http://i1096.photobucket.com/albums/g336/joel_nelson1/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_9311.jpg (http://s1096.photobucket.com/user/joel_nelson1/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_9311.jpg.html)

I know the Peregrine Fund tried to reintroduce them to West Texas and New Mexico at one point, but don't know how many wild Aplomados would make their way to Colorado.

Anyway, I thought I'd spread the word in case someone has heard of a lost falconry Aplomado. The link to the post that the guy in Boulder made is here:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/cobirds/RXoEKgX1-oI

Thanks
Joel

[Takasho]

And you aren't out there with your trapping gear?? C'mon man, some things are more important than work!

It's too fluffed out to see any gear but it's got to be a falconers bird. Keep us posted on what you hear! (Or post pics when you trap it...just sayin! :P)

[jnelly32]

Believe me, that was the first thing that crossed my mind. :). How many people could say they've trapped an Aplomado in CO?

[PeteJ]

Its likely either a falconer's bird or an abatement bird that was lost. It looks more like a Peruvian immature Aplo, rather than the ones that the PFund released which were Northern Aplos (generally the belly band is heavy all the way across in the immature Northern, but usually breaks up in the middle in the immature Peruvian). So, likely the target audience to hit in trying to find out who owns is whoever is doing abatement there semi-locally (Aplos don't travel that far usually), or a falconer that may have lost it. They often get and stay reasonably tame, so it might not be that hard to call it to a lure or trap it if necessary.
Here's a Peruvian type...you can see the similarity. The upper breast will often be variably streaked/dotted in the immature plumage then gradually lighten with successive molts. http://www.redorbit.com/media/uploads/2012/04/570px-Aplomadofalcon1.jpg

[Chad L.]

And you aren't out there with your trapping gear?? C'mon man, some things are more important than work!

It's too fluffed out to see any gear but it's got to be a falconers bird. Keep us posted on what you hear! (Or post pics when you trap it...just sayin! :P)

Just waiting for the pet store to open :D

[forestfalcon]

Ha! I'll see you out there, Chad!

[Chad L.]

Ha! I'll see you out there, Chad!

:D

[forestfalcon]

By the way, I did call the school and let them know that there will be falconers in the area searching for the bird, should they see suspicious people welding binoculars around the school. The woman I talked to also has my number should anyone spot the bird.

Chad, can you call or text me if you manage to trap the bird? I'm having to organize childcare to come up there, and would like to know if there's no need. I'll also keep in touch with you should I, or anyone else locate the bird.

[Chad L.]

By the way, I did call the school and let them know that there will be falconers in the area searching for the bird, should they see suspicious people welding binoculars around the school. The woman I talked to also has my number should anyone spot the bird.

Chad, can you call or text me if you manage to trap the bird? I'm having to organize childcare to come up there, and would like to know if there's no need. I'll also keep in touch with you should I, or anyone else locate the bird.

Glad you called the school, i was just going to call them for the same reason. I'm leaving as soon as i'm done with this message so i'll keep you updated if I do manage to trap the bird. Of course I need to verify its a lost falconry bird first but given how close the person that took the picture was able to get it shouldn't be to tough.

[forestfalcon]

Since several have confirmed it's a juvenile Peruvian, I'm guessing it's a falconry bird...although it's pretty odd that no one has reported it missing

[FredFogg]

Looks like a Jess hanging down behind the fence.

[Chad L.]

spent the better part of the afternoon poking around and came up snake eyes. For now the little bugger is still out there.

[forestfalcon]

Looks like a Jess hanging down behind the fence.

I thought so too.

Yep, no dice for me either. Just one wannabe orange breasted kestrel.

[falcon56]

I don't know what picture Fred and Jenni are looking at, but I don't see anything that resembles a jess hanging down, I think you're looking at the separation post between the two side windows on the car, below the birds left foot.

[harrishawk_79]

I don't know what picture Fred and Jenni are looking at, but I don't see anything that resembles a jess hanging down, I think you're looking at the separation post between the two side windows on the car, below the birds left foot.

If you look left center of the tail looks like one jess handing straight down

[atcfalconry]

I might be saying something you guys have already tried but I would walk around the area swinging the Lure and blowing the whistle on occasion. Depending how the bird was trained it should come zipping in for the lure. Just the movements alone should get it out in the open then try the BC???

Good Luck

These guys are a blast to fly and I hope it makes it home soon

[forestfalcon]

Yea, I brought my falcon lure and whistle and tried that. Nothing.

[jmnucci]

Any more news on this bird?

Heading up that way this weekend and thought I might bring along a pigeon and try my luck.

[jmnucci]

I was talking about this with another falconer who name I guess I will not mention. They contacted CPW and determined that this bird did not come from a CO falconer. So this bird has come a long way to Boulder. Probably has moved on by now.

Still might go take a look though.

[Tasha55403]

Has anyone checked the birding lists? Or posted something there asking for help in finding it. More eyes looking for it would probably be helpful.

[PeteJ]

I was talking about this with another falconer who name I guess I will not mention. They contacted CPW and determined that this bird did not come from a CO falconer. So this bird has come a long way to Boulder. Probably has moved on by now.

Still might go take a look though.
I'm not really sure that they would definitely have been alerted because in most states this bird would be considered an exotic and would not need to be covered by a falconry permit at all, in which case the records may not be exactly accurate.
Regardless I would follow Tasha's suggestion and alert the birding community, with the added facts that this is probably an escaped captive (no doubt in my book), so that if they sight it that someone coming out to trap it would not be seen as one of those 'evil falconers'.

[Trebor]

The bird to me Looks very hungere and down in weight.

[goshawkr]

I'm not really sure that they would definitely have been alerted because in most states this bird would be considered an exotic and would not need to be covered by a falconry permit at all, in which case the records may not be exactly accurate.
Regardless I would follow Tasha's suggestion and alert the birding community, with the added facts that this is probably an escaped captive (no doubt in my book), so that if they sight it that someone coming out to trap it would not be seen as one of those 'evil falconers'.

Pete,

The list of raptors that are considered exotic for reporting purposes is managed at a federal level. It has nothing to do with which states those raptors are native to. Aplomados are MBTA protected, so they need a 3-186a filed on them no matter what state they are flown in.

[PeteJ]

Pete,

The list of raptors that are considered exotic for reporting purposes is managed at a federal level. It has nothing to do with which states those raptors are native to. Aplomados are MBTA protected, so they need a 3-186a filed on them no matter what state they are flown in.

Hmmm, well, then I've been doing it wrong for a decade or more. Let me ask you a simple "aha" question? 3-186a? Who's form is that? Feds right?
I get that the Peruvian is a race of the Aplo, and that we have a race here that is covered, and actually listed as endangered. Yet, and I don't disagree with what you're insinuating, these Pervians have been allowed to be used in such circumstances as abatement, well before the decision came down to relax the use of 'native' species in that job description. Were they in error in allowing this?
I doesn't matter to me that much as I think that they sort of make the stuff up as they go along because they understand it even less thoroughly than we do, and much of it depends on who you get on the phone to tell you how they think it is!
My point with this initial comment was, that it is unlikely that a Peruvian Aplomado (which that bird in the photo is), is unlikely to have migrated from Peru up to Colorado. It's someone's captive produced bird, and most likely a falconer or an abatement escapee.

[goshawkr]

Hmmm, well, then I've been doing it wrong for a decade or more. Let me ask you a simple "aha" question? 3-186a? Who's form is that? Feds right?
I get that the Peruvian is a race of the Aplo, and that we have a race here that is covered, and actually listed as endangered. Yet, and I don't disagree with what you're insinuating, these Pervians have been allowed to be used in such circumstances as abatement, well before the decision came down to relax the use of 'native' species in that job description. Were they in error in allowing this?
I doesn't matter to me that much as I think that they sort of make the stuff up as they go along because they understand it even less thoroughly than we do, and much of it depends on who you get on the phone to tell you how they think it is!
My point with this initial comment was, that it is unlikely that a Peruvian Aplomado (which that bird in the photo is), is unlikely to have migrated from Peru up to Colorado. It's someone's captive produced bird, and most likely a falconer or an abatement escapee.

No Pete, they were in error to not allow the other native raptors for abatement. :D Those abatement permits are all written up as one-off special purpose permits anyway. There are no standard rules that apply to them all, although the feds are busy at work putting that in place.

You know far more about aplomados than I do - I wont begin to claim to know what subspecies the one in the photo was. All I was sayin is that if its held in captivity in the US for any reason, its got to have 3-186a papers on it to be legal. I was responding to you calling it "exotic" with regards to whether a permit was needed for it.

The MBTA operates at a species level, and according to that a bird is only exotic if its not on the list of the sacred in 50 CFR 10.13 (https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/10.13) and aplomados make that list. So do some other oddities, like European kestrels.

[jmnucci]

Took a look yesterday and no dice. If I had more time l would have gone to kinkos and printed up a " have you seen this falcon" sign. Probably would have gotten some good calls considering its Boulder.

[frigginchi]

Probably RT poop by now.

[forestfalcon]

Well, it turns out, there's more to this story.

The bird ended up in a nearby rehab center, without a band, and without equipment, but it definitely imprinted. There is currently one falconer that has lost an Aplomado within the past year who wants to contact the rehab center to do a DNA analysis to see if it is hers.

Any other falconer that has lost an Aplomado is welcome to message me and I can put you in touch with, both the other falconer and/or the rehabber.

[PeteJ]

Thanks for the update. Sort of a no-brainer that it had to be a falconry/abatement bird. Its one of those things of when it is the most likely to be it probably is. Easier for me to think it would be a tame bird that was lost than a wild bird that moved that far...and it wasn't even the right type of wild bird, so it would have had to have travelled all the way from Peru. Not likely. Especially because it is the exact subspecies that falconers/abatementors are using, it seemed the most likely.
Glad that it did get turned in though, that in itself is fairly amazing! I hope it makes it okay and gets back to the rightful owner.

[Susan1417]

Counting myself in as one of the falconers with a reported lost female Aplo. My girl was lost last August from northwestern Oregon, never regained signal after first night away. She was hand-raised and totally comfortable with any human, so could have been captured without use of trap or lure. I've been in contact with one other falconer with a missing female Aplo from this past winter in California. Anyone else out there with a missing Aplo?

[Ken S.]

Counting myself in as one of the falconers with a reported lost female Aplo. My girl was lost last August from northwestern Oregon, never regained signal after first night away. She was hand-raised and totally comfortable with any human, so could have been captured without use of trap or lure. I've been in contact with one other falconer with a missing female Aplo from this past winter in California. Anyone else out there with a missing Aplo?

Hi "Susan1417", welcome to NAFEX! Sorry to hear about your missing aplo... I'm sure that's a heart break!

One of the things that we ask all users on the forum to do, is to sign all of your posts with your name. You can do this automatically by adding a signature to your profile. If you need any help, you can search on here to find examples and instructions... and if all else fails contact me with a PM (private message) and I'll help.

[Susan1417]

Update on found Aplo: the rehabber states it is a male, brought to their facility with a head injury and emaciated. He is better now and has been added to their Ed permit.

[sharptail]

Hi Susan,
Is this the bird in the photo at the beginning of the thread, a Peruvian Alplo? Is it not banded? If they need help finding the owner, they should call Jim Neslon as he has an Alplomado registry. His number is 509 430-2131. When I lost one last summer, Jims registry was responsible for locating myself as the owner. I had no idea that my birds band number and my name were in his registry. I did not purchase him from Jim. I hope they find the rightful owner.

[Susan1417]

The bird in the photo appears to be a Peruvian Apolmado Falcon. It was not recovered by a falconer in the area when this photo was first posted, although many were actively looking for it. As this is the only photo, we have no idea if it was banded or if this is the unbanded bird that was turned over to the rehabber. Jim is the guy regarding Aplos, an outstanding source of information and the breeder of all three of my Aplos.