Peregrine Update from ARL Wildlife Center, 20 July 2015, 4:00 pm:
It is with heavy hearts that we must share the news of the passing of the Peregrine Falcon we accepted from the Cathedral of Learning. After weeks with little change to its status, the bird experienced a sudden drop in weight – despite routine hand feedings & daily weight monitoring.
After discovering signs of a respiratory illness on Saturday morning, a staff member rushed the falcon to an emergency clinic in Cleveland to see avian specialist Dr. Jamie Lindstrom. Dr. Lindstrom is renowned for his knowledge & experience with wild birds, having authored numerous academic articles & speeches, as well as serving in leadership roles in several avian organizations.
While receiving top-notch care at the hospital, the falcon passed away. Dr. Lindstrom felt strongly that the illness was linked to the animal being developmentally delayed, immuno-suppressed & a failure to thrive & diagnosed him with a chronic pulmonary obstructive disease. Unfortunately, there was nothing further that any of the doctors could do.
The staff of the Animal Rescue League thank you for your support & well wishes throughout this process. May the Peregrine’s spirit fly, free of the burdens that plagued him during his short life.
(screenshot of peregrine falcon hatched at Cathedral of Learning in May 2015)
Thank you, Kate, for the info. Tragic news on our little fighter. Silver’s spirit can now fly free. Wish it could have been another outcome….
I feel like I lost a child of my own! The little guy is in a place where he can now soar free with no worries and no sicknesses.
So sad…what a beautiful bird. He overcame so much and was a little fighter. Fly high and free.
Fly free little one. You are free of struggling and pain.
As I was reading this tears were flowing down my cheeks. We all saw his struggle and his short life truly brought us a lot of tears, but some laughter too. He was special to many. Fly high Fuzzy, and be free. We will never forget you.
I am so sad, the tears are just rolling down my cheeks also. I look at that sweet pic of Fuzzy and my heart aches. Fly high and free Fuzzy. We love you.
Now that I’m done crying for the cute little chick, I have to ask if his ailments are likely due to the advanced age of his mother. Bless her heart!!! Thank you for doing such great work!!!
Maureen, yes it is very, very likely that the ailments were birth defects because of his mother’s advanced age.
Many birds hatched this year, but none if them captured the heard like Silver. Thank you for bringing us together to root for you. You’re brief time here did what most people can’t do in a lifetime.
Much thanks to all who tried…but, sigh, all the King’s horses and all the King’s men…
My heart is heavy after reading about our Fuzzy (Silver) and tears have flowed freely for him. I hoped and prayed that he would make it because I watched as Dorothy (his Mom) took such good care to feed him. And being the oldest falcon to have had one, I wanted her to be the first . Not meant to be !!!!! Fly high and free Fuzzy, you will be missed !!!! Thank you to all who treated our Fuzzy… I’m sure he was well taken care of to the end …
Sad to hear about Silver. I guess advanced maternal age is no different in birds than humans with birth defects. Dorothy is such a good mother. Watched the little guy grow up. Fly high and proud little fellow! Will be missed!
Comforted to know he was not alone when he died. Hopes were high, knowing his feathers were growing and he had an appetite. Kate, will they do a necropsy to determine for certain the cause? Thank you for your time and devotion. -C.
Chris W, I believe they already know the cause so a necropsy is unnecessary.
Rearranging one sentence in the announcement, the cause of death is obvious:
as in… Dr. Lindstrom diagnosed him with a chronic pulmonary obstructive disease & felt strongly that the illness was linked to the animal being developmentally delayed, immuno-suppressed & a failure to thrive.
This is such sad news after a valiant effort by Dorothy to keep the little guy going. Peaceful wishes little Silver as you fly over the rainbow. You will be missed by many faithful followers.
Thank god for wonderful people like those at the aviary who take care of kind souls like silver.
I know it’s nature but that doesn’t make it any easier. I just have no words except he was an inspiration…his fighting spirit was to be admired. I really am so sad right now.
So sad, such a spunky little guy! Smiling through tears at all the joy he brought me during his short life. I wish nothing but the best for Dorothy but I hope she’s done laying eggs. Nature’s such a cruel mother…
Fly Free Miraclpefa
Such sad news to hear and he sure did capture a lot of ours hearts. He will be missed.
I wonder if they had taken Dorothy with him if it would have made a difference in the “failure to thrive”. He would have had her and maybe not have been afraid. Plus I said a long time ago it would have prevented her from having other chicks next year that had the same problem. The chick looked so good in the previous pics. I just have a gut instinct that if intervention was made sooner we would not have had this outcome. I don’t buy the explanation. This ruined my day. So very sad.
Such sad news. I know everything possible was done to care for Silver. Sometimes all the medicine and all the care in the world just isn’t enough. Kate, it must have hard for you to hear this news, too. Thank you for sharing.
I also feel it did have some set backs and disabilities they should have taken Mom as well so see how they would do Mom is older now Im not one to know much of how Bird life works but I guess they did what they felt was right Sad for every one even Dorothy I am sure misses her baby I would
For Patti, Cheryl and those who suggest that Dorothy should have been taken to rehab when Silver went there:
Wild birds are not taken to rehab unless they are injured or debilitated and cannot live in the wild on their own. It is obvious that Dorothy is fully capable of living in the wild on her own. For Dorothy, as for all capable wild peregrines, humans are their predators/enemies and rehab feels like prison. It would be cruel to end her life in rehab when she can live in the wild. I believe the stress of captivity would shorten her remaining life.
I’m am very sad, as many others are. Fuzzy was an inspiration to me, seeing the little guy fight so hard to try to win the battle to survive. I fell in love with him from the moment he hatched & prayed for his strength & health. I hoped to visit him with the dream that he’d be an ambassador for the Peregrine Falcons as an education bird. So sad. He did capture so many hearts in his short life. That beautiful face. Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to try to help him. Thanks Dorothy & E2 for blessing us if only for a short while with this precious gift. Prayers for Dorothy’s comfort in her old age. You’re a wonderful mom!
Thank you for the opportunity to watch these amazing creatures. I had hoped for a different outcome but it wasn’t meant to be.
May you fly over the rainbow bridge and always have A Thermal to fly on . You made a bright spot in my day and I was deeply saddened to learn of your passing. You are bright spot in my day and I liked bringing your picture up. I looked at your picture every morning and will hold you dear to my heart.
Every morning I looked at your picture and hoped you would get well. That wasn’t the plan. We had you for a little while. You were an inspiration to all of us. You were the shining spot to a dismal day. Be free little one
If I was a wild animal, I wonder how much is due to being inside, breathing stale air, not exercising or flying and being away from mom? Even though the little guy may not have made it on the outside, I think rehab in an outdoor enclosure in a certified raptor center – like the one in Medina, Ohio – with those of his kind may have given him a better chance of making it on the inside. While I am sure that he received state-of-the-art care, I am still not convinced that us humans really know what we are doing.
Robin, sadly the chick had birth defects he could not overcome. Thanks to rehab he lived longer than he would have in the wild.
So sad : ( I was hoping for a better outcome for the little one. I just hope he didn’t suffer too much. Thanks to all that cared for him to the very end. Thanks to you too Kate for keeping us all updated. Peace to my beloved Fuzzy/Silver.
I do hope, from this experience, if the Pennsylvania Game Commission feels that a chick needs to go to rehab, that in the future they consider the Medina Raptor Center in Ohio. Although the ARL wildlife center they took the chick to did the best they could, and we all very much appreciate it, that wildlife center is for general wildlife – bunnies and fawns and such. This chick, perhaps because of his very birth defects, needed the more specialized care that the raptor center could provide. Hindsight is 20/20 and too late for Fuzzy; I just hope that the Medina Raptor Center is considered as an option in the future – by either the Game Commission or the ARL wildlife center. At least until the peregrines make a significant comeback in western PA!
Robin, ARL has cared for and successfully released many of Pittsburgh’s downed peregrines. They are a top notch outfit with lots of raptor experience. They also have excellent connections to raptor specialists in Ohio, just as Medina does. At ARL when a raptor has healed he is transferred to a free flight cage. When he’s ready for flight training, the bird is transfered to a falconer for lessons. Silver never reached that stage because he was still growing his wing feathers. It was dangerous for him to fly.
I know the good work that both ARL and Medina do. I contribute to both. They are both very good. Silver was in good hands. Enough said.
This is such devastating news for all of us who fell in love with Fuzz and were pulling for him every step of the way. Thank you so much to the folks at the Animal Rescue League & Wildlife Center and to Dr. Lindstrom at the emergency clinic in Cleveland for their efforts to save Fuzz. It’s comforting to think of his spirit now soaring the way it was meant to. We will miss you, Fuzz.
Very sad to hear about Fuzzy/Silver. He fought a good battle. Thanks to all the people involved in helping him. Not the outcome we all hoped for/wanted. May his spirit fly free.
Thank you so much for explaining the protocol. I contributed to ARL when Silver/Fuzzy was first admitted. Both centers will be on my list in the future. And thank you for your blog – it has really raised my raptor awareness!
Thank you for posting this update. So sad that the little guy didn’t make it, but so grateful to those involved in his care for giving him the best chance at life that they could.
I discovered your blog while watching the Falcon cam. I love it, thank you sincerely. I look at Silver/Fuzzys passing, as his first strong, true flight. He spread his wings and flew over the rainbow bridge and into the light. One day, he will be reunited with Dorothy. He, along with the others will be waiting for her. Thanks again for all the information you give us Kate.
I AM SO VERY SADDENED BY THE FALCON CHICK’S DEATH; I WOULD CHECK ON IT EVERY DAY, AND WAS WONDERING WHEN HE WOULD COME BACK. I ONLY HEARD OF HIS DEMISE TODAY.I’M SO SORRY:-(
Kate, thank you for all of your previous information and updates. I’m saddened by Silver’s death, but proper protocol and excellent care were both given. Your answers to above questions and comments of doubt were comforting to us humans. Dorothy is where she belongs – a free bird!
Watched this little fellow grow. Was really pulling for this little fellow. So sad but that is the realities of nature.
Kate, I was wondering what happened to Silver’s body after his passing. Was he buried near the Cathedral of learning like Silver Boy or was it not disclosed.
Judy, it was not disclosed.
Thanks Kate, I just wondering. i am still grieving over this beautiful bird.
Thank you for updating, Kate. : (