When they’re not eating or sleeping young peregrines spend time playing – and they do it on the wing.

Last evening we were treated to quite a show at the Fledge Watch.  Two of the Pitt peregrines chased each other around the Cathedral of Learning and scuffled in mid-air, chasing and shouting and using their feet a lot.

We couldn’t see the expressions on their faces but I imagine they looked like the two juveniles in Kim Steininger’s photo.

Just when we thought the game was over, their mother got into the act and played Chase Me with one of her sons.  Whenever she caught up to him she flipped sideways to pretend a food exchange.  He was clearly excited by this attention and flew faster and it almost seemed Dorothy flew slower so her son could win some laps.

There’s one more game we haven’t seen yet this year but we’ll recognize it.  It’s a little taste of hunting called “You’re a Pigeon, Here I Come.”

Ah, youth!

Thanks to Kim Steininger for permission to use her photo of young peregrines in Wilmington, Delaware. See more of her online gallery at www.birdsbykim.com or click on the photo above.