I fully support the proposal…

I fully support the proposal as written. Capture of live wild raptors for use in falconry is part of the traditional practice of the art. Survival rates of first year birds completely justify the proposed take levels. This is due to the fact that falconer take of wild birds has at worst a neutral environmental impact, at best a positive impact. A high percentage of wild live captured birds taken by falconers end up being subsequently released or lost back to the wild, after the period of high juvenile susceptibility, adding birds that otherwise may have succumbed, to the adult population. This results in a possible net increase in wild bird numbers.

This is very similar to the protocol used by many other agencies and organizations in assisting the recovery of species of concern. Young are removed from the wild, nurtured to an age that supports higher survivability, and released back into their native habitat.

An estimated one million wild birds a year are killed in the city of Toronto alone (see link). I am glad to see falconers are willing work for the conservation of wild populations of birds.