The Terminal Tower falcon eyases will be banded by the Ohio Division of Wildlife on Friday May 14th - and they need names. This year the Ohio Division of Wildlife is giving the honor of choosing names to several groups, and we hope to have one of our names chosen – but it has to be a really good name for a falcon.
Keep in mind when thinking of names that these little fluffy eyasses will soon grow to be fierce predators, the fastest creatures on earth. Also, keep in mind that we will not know their sex until after they are examined on banding day. Put your thinking caps on and send your ideas for names as soon as possible to raptors@hvc.rr.com
An interesting falcon nesting fact comes from The Canadian Peregrine Foundation: "Historically, Peregrines were renowned for having remarkably stable populations. Records are best documented for Great Britain, where the breeding population remained steady around 800 pairs from the time of Queen Elizabeth I to the Second World War nearly 400 years later. Even more amazingly, some particular nest sites were almost continuously occupied throughout this period."
In Cleveland, the Terminal Tower nestsite now has a nearly 20 year history. The following picture shows the location of SW and Ranger's nestbox on the 12th floor ledge of their skyscraper home (the word “nest” is in red).
Mr. Harvey Webster, Director of Wildlife Resources with the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, built the nestbox that SW and Ranger call home in 1991 and it has been the home of falcon families continuously ever since 1991. It is one of the most successful nestsites in the United States with around 50 chicks hatched and fledged. Mr. Webster and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History have played an important role in helping the species peregrine falcon in its recovery from near extinction in the U.S. Visit the Museum’s website at: http://www.cmnh.org/
The following picture gives a birdseye view from SW and Ranger’s skyscraper home. Peregrines like to nest near water. Note that this nestsite is very near the Cuyahoga River that feeds into Lake Erie, one of the Great Lakes.
The eyases are growing at an incredible rate. Mr. Scott Wright, volunteer peregrine falcon nest monitor, reports: "Among the young falcons, competition for food can be just like with any children, with pushing and shoving to get to the parent with food. I have seen one young falcon take the food right out of another's beak if they did not get it down fast enough, or the piece of food placed into the open beak was too big for the chick to eat”.
SW is a very good mother and makes sure each eyass receives food.
Send your ideas for names ASAP to raptors@hvc.rr.com for final selection by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
Our thanks to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for sponsoring the FalconCams.
The picture of the Terminal Tower is courtesy of falcon fan, Tony Rinicella. Other 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.
