Falconer Les Boyd passed away in 2019, but his conservation legacy lives on in this rubber hat. Boyd designed the copulation hat (a.k.a. insemination hat or sex hat) in the early 1970s and as a result, saved a species. (Boyd appears a photo from the Peregrine Fund wearing an early version of his hat.) In 1970, there were only 39 known pairs of Peregrine Falcons in the lower 48 states. The species was gone east of the Mississippi River and 80 or 90 percent gone in the West. This was largely due to the effects of the pesticide, DDT, on egg integrity. Thanks to captive breeding programs and the 1972 ban of DDT, these birds were able to be removed from the Endangered Species list in 1999. But, there’s a catch with captive breeding …..imprinting. When the young falcons would hatch in captivity, they’d visually imprint on the first moving thing they’d see which instead of being a mother falcon would be a large, featherless human. When the youngsters reached sexual maturity, they didn’t recognize other falcons as potential mates. But, they did recognize human flock members who knew how to speak the female Peregrine’s mating whine and the Peregrine male’s chitter. The imprinted males would willingly copulate with the tightly secured copulation cap depositing semen in the dimples of the hat when stimulated with the appropriate mating call. Semen could be easily suctioned out the cap and simply deposited on willing, standing, imprinted females. You can watch the collection process (sound on is a must) at www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9PbYxVqN1w&t=26s. It’s a sight to behold. #wildliferehabilitation #wildlifeeducation #peregrinefalcon #falconsex
Steve mentioned this in his falcon book I think.
Gives fresh meaning to “You can leave your hat on.”