A 3D view of prairie falcon nest site in the Mojave Desert

Prairie falcons nest high up in rocky outcrops throughout arid plains and desert wilderness, typically returning to the same sites year after year. However, recreational activities in the California desert are impinging on their habitat, causing some historic nest sites (“eyries”) used by generations of falcons to become abandoned.
This 3D model shows a prairie falcon eyrie in the western Mojave Desert generated using drone imagery. This eyrie was first documented as prairie falcon habitat in the 1970s, at which point there was an active mine directly under the eyrie as seen in the model. 3D modeling helps us measure established and social dirt roads and trails nearby so they can be monitored for potential impacts to the nesting success of these prairie falcons. With this tool, we can also measure the opening and height of the nest cavity, and count all the openings with certainty as we move around the model. This video helps us understand what this eyrie looks like and what kind of habitat prairie falcons use. Anyone studying this eyrie or local prairie falcons in the future will be able to reference this for historic data about the eyrie.
This video was prepared as part of the Mojave Desert Land Trust’s Prairie Falcon Conservation program. Together with our partners, we aim to evaluate and address the threats to this bird of prey and their habitat within the California desert.
Visit www.mdlt.org/p... to learn more about MDLT's Prairie Falcon Conservation program.