They are nearly as big as their parents and are stepping out of the nestbox and exploring their skyscraper ledge. “Ledge-walking” scares some falcon fans, because the falcons' nestbox is 13 stories up on their skyscraper - but don't worry, they won't fall off. Falcons are cliff-dwellers and are adapted to high places. Here is a view from the skyscraper ledge.
It takes both parents most of their time to hunt for their growing family. Here is a picture taken a few days ago with the eyasses showing more down.
After the peregrine falcon becomes a mature adult, it is at the top of the food chain and does not fear other predators, but before the eyasses learn to fly, the peregrine parents must watch over their young to protect them from predators - especially the great horned owl.
For city falcons, this is not much of a problem, since great horned owls are not common in cities. It is possible that many peregrine couples have decided to nest in cities across North America because there are few, if any, predators on skyscrapers. In fact, as humans were helping the species to recover from the brink of extinction, nestboxes were placed on skyscrapers with the hope of avoiding predation by the great horned owl. The great horned owl is a very large bird of prey (much larger than the crow-sized peregrines) with a wingspan of nearly 5 feet. An occasional owl does show up near the skyscraper, however. Scott Wright, volunteer nest monitor, was told by the Ohio Division of Wildlife one year that peregrines forced down a great horned owl who dared to fly near their nestsite. When the owl was found on a roof near the nest, it was missing an eye! For more information about the great horned owl visit: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3750id.html
In fact, peregrines don’t like anything near the nestsite. In this picture, SW flies at the window behind which nest monitor Mr. Wright was watching.
Our thanks to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for sponsoring the FalconCams and for the still.
The picture of the falcon chasing a redtail hawk is courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Saladin. The picture of the owl comes from the National Park Service and the vulture from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Other photos are courtesy of Mr. Scott Wright, volunteer peregrine nest monitor. They may be used by children for school and/or personal projects, but please give photo credit.
Quite a few watchers have spotted a falcon chase turkey vultures. A turkey vulture is a very large bird with a wingspan of up to 6 feet while a peregrine is about the size of a crow.
A falcon fan described a chase: “He (Buckeye, who was the male at this nestsite before Ranger arrived) actually landed momentarily on the vulture's back and I could see feathers falling to the ground. After the attack, the vulture flew faster than I have ever seen a vulture fly -- with Buckeye right on his tail. It was quite an aerobatic show with both birds spinning and looping in the air”. For more information about turkey vultures go to:
Here is a picture of a male peregrine chasing a redtail hawk out of his territory.
Over the years Mr. Wright has reported that the male falcon (usually it's the male) has chased off interlopers much larger than himself who dare to cross the Falcon No Fly Zone. Mr. Wright remembers, “The first male falcon at this nestsite, Szell, actually flew out and tried to attack a Goodyear blimp one year, flying out quite close and vocalizing the entire time until a representative of the Ohio Division of Wildlife called the Federal Aviation Authority - then the blimp never came close again!”
Peregrines are fiercely territorial and sometimes fight, if they must, to protect their nest. Twice at this nestsite, there have been fights between female peregrines that resulted in the deaths of the losers, and this year it seems likely that Buckeye, the previous male at this nestsite, died as a result of a battle with Ranger. Many times, the falcons have dive-bombed humans who came too close, including this window washer.
Here is Dart exercising his wings. Believe it or not, he will take his first flight in just a few weeks.
