The USFWS has worked collaboratively for over 20 years with The Peregrine Fund, private landowners, and State and Federal agencies to recover the northern aplomado falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) in its historic range in southern New Mexico, and south and west Texas.  In 2008, the NMESFO coordinated with The Peregrine Fund to reintroduce a total of 70 juvenile northern aplomado falcons to 3 locations in New Mexico:  2 sites on Turner Enterprises’ Armendaris Ranch and 1 location approximately 25 miles to the north that encompasses release towers on White Sands Missile Range, BLM, and NM State Lands.  Fifty falcons, or 71 percent, attained independence through this reintroduction process, defined here as aplomado falcons that continued to return to the release tower 21 or more days after the “hack” box was opened. 

This was the third consecutive year of falcon releases in New Mexico.  Two of the 2006 birds mated and produced young in 2007, and in 2008, 4 new pairs of young falcons were detected in New Mexico.  These are positive signs that the reintroduction program may be beginning to work in New Mexico.