No news is good news at this point and incubation seems to be going well.
When the male and female peregrines are together, the biggest clue to tell them apart is their size difference. Female peregrines, as in most species of raptors, are much larger than males, and about a third heavier. While the males and females have similar appearance, there are individual differences.
SW is larger, and she is also darker grey. SW has a somewhat speckled chest, while Buckeye's chest is more white. Buckeye has a gray “helmet” and no white cheek patches. If you can see their bands, compare the USFWS bands on their right legs; SW's is silver and Buckeye's is purple.
SW
For more information about identifying peregrine falcons, visit the Canadian Peregrine Foundation at:
Some experts think that the average life expectancy of the peregrine is only 4 to 5 years, while others say 10 to 12 years, but some records show a few wild birds that have nested for as many as 17 consecutive years. Most falcon chicks have a hard time surviving their first year or two of life, but once they reach maturity they may live a long time.
Our thanks to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for sponsoring the FalconCams and for the still.
Photos are courtesy of Scott Wright, volunteer peregrine nest monitor. They 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.
The parents continue to take turns covering the eggs and turning them regularly.
If you have been watching SW and Buckeye as they incubate their eggs, you may have wondered about their lives. Because the peregrine falcon was on the List of Endangered Species for 30 years, many birds are banded and their life histories are known. SW was hatched and fledged from the 37th floor of the Gulf Tower building in Pittsburgh, PA in 1999. Pennsylvania does not believe in naming wild creatures, so she goes by her band letters, SW. Buckeye was hatched on the Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus, Ohio in 1996. See if you can find these cities on a map of North America. Can you figure out how far SW and Buckeye had to fly to meet each other in Cleveland, Ohio?
Can you tell which bird is SW and which one is Buckeye?
