MORE THAN ENOUGH FOOD AVAILABLE IN BARCELONA
Peregrines hunt medium-sized birds in the air. Barcelona is home to a large population of birds (pigeons, collared doves, starlings, yellow-legged gulls, etc) which depend to a great extent on the remains of food from people. For example, the population of pigeons in Barcelona is estimated at some 180,000 individuals present throughout the year in the city, to which should be added thousands of starlings, thrushes, collared doves, swifts and other nesting and wintering species. Based on the calculation that a pair of Peregrines will eat less than a thousand pigeons a year, it becomes very clear that just the pigeon population provides more than enough food for the three nesting pairs in the city.
HIGH CRAGS WITH LEDGES: BARCELONA HAS A SEA CLIFF AND
NUMEROUS HIGH BUILDINGS
Peregrines need cliffs with ledges where they can "nest". Barcelona has a natural sea cliff (Montjuïc) where the bird now nests. There are also a considerable number of high buildings which stand out from the cityscape, with suitable conditions for Peregrines to "nest" and lay their eggs. In 2005 they did so in Barcelona in Torre Macosa in Diagonal Mar and in Sagrada Família, and in the Sant Adrià de Besòs power station, just outside the city. The only problem lies in the level of disturbance in some of these buildings due the presence of people during key moments in the breeding season.
THERE IS LESS DISTURBANCE ON TOP OF BUILDINGS THAN AT
STREET LEVEL
Peregrines are very sensitive to human disturbances during the breeding season. Outside the city, their chief problem is deliberate or accidental shooting during the hunting season, despite being a protected species and therefore, illegal to hunt. In the past its eggs were often stolen (this is now prohibited) and a pair might still be disturbed by climbers inadvertently moving close to their nest (an occurrence which has been reduced thanks to awareness campaigns aimed at this group). Obviously there are no hunters or sports climbers in the city but they can still be disturbed in their nesting sites by people going up onto roofs, or doing maintenance or cleaning work close to Peregrine look-out posts or potential breeding sites.
ABSENCE OF PREDATORS AND COMPETITORS. NONE OF THE SPECIES
WHICH CAN PREY UPON ADULT PEREGRINES OR COMPETE WITH THEM ARE
PRESENT IN BARCELONA
The Peregrine Falcon is a consummate predator but this does not mean there are no species which prey upon it. An example is the eagle owl (Bubo
bubo), a huge night raptor which does not breed in Barcelona. Additionally, ravens (Corvus
corax) and Bonelli's eagles (Hiaaretus fasciatus) compete with Peregrines for nesting sites, but, again, neither is present in Barcelona.
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