The 2007 peregrine falcon nesting season is underway at Buckeye and SW's home sweet home located on the 12th floor ledge of a skyscraper called "Tower City" in downtown Cleveland, Ohio (the red circle shows the nestbox location).
Another time, work was done above the nest with debris falling down and covering the nest ledge (including a cigarette butt that fell into the nestbox from above). And yet another time, humans passed within touching distance of chicks as they learned to fly – which is a dangerous time.
Longer daylight hours (photo sensitivity) and warmer days are triggering the birds into courtship, and SW and Buckeye have begun their annual nesting life-cycle. Peregrines generally mate for life, but will accept a new partner if their mate dies. SW and Buckeye have been together since 2003. Every year the male must prove his worth and court his mate (even if it is the same mate from year to year). “Courtship feeding” where the male catches prey and presents it to the female, proves that the male will be a good provider and also gives the female the extra nutritional boost she needs to lay healthy eggs. Before she lays her eggs, she becomes too heavy to hunt on her own. Here is a recent picture of SW. Do you think she is carrying eggs?
Scott Wright, peregrine falcon nest monitor at this site for 15 years, visited the nest recently and reports that the building is undergoing remodeling, with new windows top to bottom and repairs on the 14th floor. Over the years, the birds have had to deal with humans working on the building close to the nest, and it is always a worry whether human activity will disrupt them. Several times falcons have dive-bombed the humans, and one year a window washer was attacked by an angry parent and required medical attention on his hand.
This file photo shows SW beginning an attack on a human that dared to come too close…….
Mr. Wright remembers 3-4 other times over the years that work has been done on the building. One time, humans on scaffolding passed within 20 feet of the birds on the eggs and the young twice a day. This picture from 1999 shows the scaffolding and 2 white chicks on the ledge on the right.
Here's a good idea for young scientists from SaraJean Peters, of the Ohio Division of Wildlife (retired): "The FalconCam "hour review" of images provides an interesting way for kids to practice "sampling" techniques used by wildlife researchers. One would assume that, as the pair extends its courtship, the birds would be seen more and more frequently at the nest tray. By counting the number of frames that contain a view of a peregrine and dividing by 60, the students can calculate the percentage of time spent at the site during the sample period. They could choose several sample periods during the day and see if visitation varies by time of day... How does it change when the chicks are 12 days old...."
This is a still taken from the FalconCam.
Mr. Wright describes courtship flight: “The male peregrine falcon must showcase his flying ability with stunning displays. Buckeye will do a dance in the sky by making long soaring, diving, and gliding displays with tail feathers and wingtip feathers wide open. He will pass close by SW with his tail feathers all displayed and stretched out, and he and SW will vocalize to each other. This will continue for some time, and on warmer days with higher winds, the couple will take to the air and together fly a dance across the sky”.
Courtship behavior also includes nest-keeping. In this picture Buckeye demonstrates the male behavior of scraping an indentation in the nestbox gravel and calling SW to invite her to see his great nest.
To see the "hour review" each day, go to the live FalconCam at http://www.falconcam-cmnh.org/news.php Under each of the 3 pictures of the nest on the front page there is a link that will take you to the archives. The live FalconCam takes a picture each minute of every daylight hour. There are 60 pictures for each hour each day. Looking at the archives will give you a quick review of all the day's activities. As you observe the nest every day, why not take Ms. Peterson's suggestion and record how much of the time the falcons are at the nest in one hour and what their activities are? Sampling the nest every day will give you some interesting information about falcon behavior.
If you’ve been watching the FalconCam over the last week you may have noticed SW in the nest for longer periods of time. Why?
Our thanks to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for sponsoring the FalconCams.
The photo of the Tower City skyscraper is courtesy of Tony Rinicella, who works in a nearby building. Other photos are courtesy of Scott Wright. They can be used in any non-commercial publication, electronic or print, but please give photo credit.
