If you’re wondering why we band peregrine falcons, here’s the answer.

Last week I learned that two more peregrines banded in the Pittsburgh area are nesting in Ohio. This brings the total to six, four of whom are Dorothy’s offspring from the Cathedral of Learning.  I like to call them “alumni.”

The complete list is:

• SW:  Hatched at the Gulf Tower in 1999, she’s nested at Cleveland’s Terminal Tower since 2002.
• Stammy: Hatched at the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, he nests in Youngstown.
• Belle:  Hatched at the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, she nests on the bell tower at the University of Toledo.  She’s one of Stammy’s nestmates.
• Maddy: Hatched at the University of Pittsburgh in 2004, she nests at the I-480 Bridge in Cuyahoga County.
• An unnamed female (Pennsylvania peregrines are not named at banding):  Hatched at the Monaca-East Rochester Bridge in Beaver County, PA in 2008, she’s nesting at the Ironton-Russell Bridge in Lawrence County, Ohio.  She found a site just like home.
• Another unnamed female: Hatched at the University of Pittsburgh in 2009, she’s nesting at the Killen Power Station in Adams County, Ohio.  She’s the youngest of Dorothy’s offspring confirmed nesting this year.

As you can see from the list above, most of the birds are female.  Young female peregrines typically travel farther from their birthplace than the males do to establish their own nest site.  The closest offspring on the list is a male in Youngstown.  Cleveland seems to be just far enough for the girls.

Pictured above is Maddy near her home at the I-480 bridge.

(photo by Chad+Chris Saladin)