FALCON FLASH
Dateline: Cleveland, Ohio
April 17, 2006
The chicks will be hatching soon! Scott Wright, volunteer peregrine falcon nest monitor for 14 years, shares some tips about what to look for now that the eggs are about to hatch:
"The simple one is a cracked egg, but as spring can be very cool this time of year, you want to watch the parent on the eggs. Look for an eggshell, but do it quick as the female will often eat the eggshell, and move the shell about, often picking it up with her beak.
Looking at the parent behavior, when one or more of the young inside the eggs begin to chirp, the parents will seem to be listening to the eggs.
Another behavior I have seen is that the parents start to sit higher with backs showing a more or higher arch.
Yes, eggs can hatch out during the night. The process can take some time if not aided by the parents; the hairline cracks will indicate that a hatch is under way. And if it is cold and raining, you might have to wait to see the fluff ball when the first feeding happens.
Whoever is on the eggs will call out to the other parent and announce the hatching. Normally, the female is on the young when they hatch. She calls in the male as if to say, "Get some food honey!"
I always get nervous at hatch. Will they all hatch? Will they all have two eyes, two legs, two wings, will they all show a begging response and so on? Time will tell.....
We had one chick die in the nest 11 (?) years ago when it was less that a week old, and the female, Zenith, left scars on my arm when I helped ODW remove it. So, be ready for anything....."
Hatching words to know: egg tooth, pip
The chicks will be hatching soon, so keep your eyes and browser set on:
The photo is courtesy of Scott Wright, volunteer peregrine nest monitor. It may be used by children for school and/or personal projects, but please give Mr. Wright photo credit. All others must contact Mr. Wright directly for permission to use his photos.
