Despite being crucial to sustaining life on Earth, rainfall is proving to be deadly for young falcons in Canada's Arctic.

According to a press release, researchers at the University of Alberta found that an increase in the frequency of heavy rain brought on by warmer summer temperatures is posing a threat to young peregrine falcons; the type of threat that this species has not seen since before pesticides such as DDT were banned from use in Canada in 1970.

The study is among the first to directly link rainfall to survival of wild birds in Canada.

Researchers conducted a nest-box experiment from 2008 to 2010 in a dense population of peregrines breeding near Rankin Inlet in Nunavut on the shores of the Hudson Bay. They also examined historical weather data and measures of breeding success dating back to 1980 in the area.

Falcon nests were monitored using motion-sensitive cameras, and images confirmed that more than one-third of the chick deaths recorded were indeed caused by rain, whether they were raised in nest boxes or on natural ledges.

Based on the study, the change in rainfall patterns in recent years has had a big influence on the overall decline in reproductive success over the last three decades, researchers Alastair Franke said in a statement.

"The nestlings died from hypothermia and in some cases from drowning in their flooded nests," he said. "Without constant parental care, they are most vulnerable to cold and wet conditions in the first three weeks of life."

Scientists were surprised to discover that there was an ongoing decline in peregrines, even after DDT was banned more than 30 years ago. Current pesticide residues used today are known to be too low to cause reproductive failure.

"We knew DDT was no longer an issue and based on field observations, we wondered whether changes in climate were responsible for high mortality in recent years," Franke said

The study also revealed that besides deaths attributed to rainfall and additional fall out for the young peregrines is starvation.

"We were surprised to find that a considerable number of nestlings raised in nest boxes later died of starvation despite having been spared from the direct effects of rain," Franke said.

According to a press release, storms may also be the culprit in reducing the abundance of prey for peregrines, Franke launched a food supplementation study to explore the possible link.