It is with great sadness we report that Buckeye, the male peregrine falcon at this nestsite for the past 12 years, died on November 17, 2009 from injuries that appear to have been caused by a fatal head injury, probably due to collision with a building.
Buckeye – 1996-2009
Buckeye was the father of 34 chicks, some of which were hatched while the species peregrine falcon was on the List of Endangered Species. The species recovered from near extinction and was removed from the List of Endangered Species in 1999, one of the great success stories in the field of wildlife conservation – and Buckeye did his part. He was a wonderful mate to SW and father to his chicks. He guarded his territory and hunted tirelessly to feed his hungry family. One of his most famous moments as a good father was when he covered 2 precious eggs during a raging snowstorm for nearly 24 hours.
Early during the storm…….
And later during the storm…..
Buckeye was 14 years old when he died, and some have speculated that he may have sustained his fatal injury while warding off a new and younger rival that was seen at the nestsite shortly after Buckeye’s death. If this is true, it may be fitting that Buckeye, an aging falcon, ended his life in battle, as the peregrine is a fierce predator that will fight to the death to defend his territory and his mate.
