Erie, the original male peregrine at University of Pittsburgh, is gone but not forgotten. He lives on in the falcons he fathered – Pitt peregrine alumni who now live elsewhere.
This beautiful picture is Erie’s son Stammy. Born on the Cathedral of Learning in 2003, he’s nested in Youngstown, Ohio since 2005. In Pennsylvania we don’t name peregrines when they’re banded, so he wasn’t known as Stammy until he got to Youngstown where he was named for the building he calls home.
Thanks to this photo from Chad & Chris Saladin, we’re able to read Stammy’s bands and learn two things: where this bird was born and that he’s alive and well.
Photos like this – in which we can read the bands – are how we keep track of peregrines. Based on bird band reports we know Erie & Dorothy’s children and grandchildren range from Pittsburgh to Michigan. The ones who’ve established homes are:
- Louie: born in 2002, nests at the Gulf Tower in Pittsburgh.
- Stammy (pictured): born in 2003, nests in Youngstown, Ohio.
- Hathor: born in 2003, nests in Mt. Clemens, Michigan.
- Belle: born in 2003, nests in the bell tower at University of Toledo, Ohio.
- Maddy: born in 2004, nests on the I-480 bridge near Cleveland, Ohio.
Quite a growing alumni organization!
hi kate/my name is susan/i’m a grad at pitt and also a project worker for facilities management/about 4 yrs. ago one of the babies got hurt(his shoulder,i think)/anyway,he ended up between two benches at the william pitt union/i was on duty ,so i went to see what was going on/i ended up taking pictures of the falcon(i usually always carry my camera with me)/me and my co-workers called campus police who in turn called the WPC/it took about 3 hrs. before they arrived but a lot of people watched over him until they did/if you you would like a couple of those pictures just tell me where to send them to you/i love all animals but i especially love the peregrines/good luck, i hope you see them flying/i’m on vacation right now/i’m going to try and get over there to watch them/susan
Hi Kate. We have a male Peregrine born in Pittsburgh now residing in Ontario Canada. He has been in the vicinity for many years and in 2008 established a new nest site with an Ontario female, at a residential condo.
Art McMorris, the Peregrine Falcon coordinator from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, using the band # from our resident male, confirmed that our male is from Pittsburgh, specifically the Gulf Tower. He was banded on May 3, 2002.
See http://www.asic.ca/peregrinefalcons to track the progress of him and his mate.
Thanks for getting in contact with me.
When I wrote this blog, I included only the birds born at University of Pittsburgh. I know there are two peregrines born at Gulf Tower who ended up in Ontario:
A male peregrine from 2002 who nested at Lakeview Generating Station and then moved his territory to a Toronto high-rise. Is he the bird you’re referring to?
…and…
Pittsburgh Pete, born in 2006, whom I wrote about recently.
I never realized how much those Pitt Alum get around. Pittsburgh Pete. How did he get that name. Pretty soon we will have a Pittsburgh Dad. I guess they don’t mind going through customs to get a look at some Canadian Chicks.
Hi Kate, I remember when they put the Falcons on Rochester Bridge, I haven’t heard much about them of late. My Daughter was asking me about them. One time I owned a Falcon that was injured and we had him from Fall till Spring. I was working full time and I couldn’t give him the attention I wanted to so I gave/sold…I think we gave him to a guy out in back of Freedom who had and injured Eagle and some owls. The last I heard he still had him. Although, that has been many moons ago. It is so wonderful to see that the Falcons at the Catedral of Learning are still making lots of extending family members. When I heard that the Eagles go clear up North to Alaska. It blew my mind. I used to read alot of books about the wild animals in the North Country and Alaska. I was thrilled that these animals/birds are still here and not some name that was used in a story.Like that bird I can’t remember off the top of my head (Poppin,???)that was so famous in Japan at the last Olympics. 2 Olympics back I guess. I always thought they were a fantasy of the writer etc… Sorry but, I was younger then. With life you don’t usually have time to think of things back when a kid in High School or College. Thanks dear alot of what I have read is very inlightening. My daughter was wondering about the Goldn Bald Eagle. I had to tell her how they became indangered. Human stupidity and DDT. Good luck and I love all the animals. I have domesticated Ferrets. But, I get rescues. Love those furballs, too.