9 February 2015

An immature peregrine falcon banded at Pittsburgh’s Gulf Tower in spring 2014 has been hanging out in Wetzel County, West Virginia this winter (2015).

Staff at Wetzel County Emergency Services in New Martinsville wondered about the bands on this “hawk” so they took a picture on January 23 and sent it to the banding lab at Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland.

Patuxent knew the bands were issued to a peregrine in Pennyslvania so they sent the photo to Art McMorris asking if he recognized them.  Indeed, he did.

This male peregrine was banded at the Gulf Tower on May 20, 2014 by Dan Brauning and Tom Keller. At only 8 months old he’s still in brown juvenile plumage so he resembles a young red-tailed hawk.  I’m glad he revealed his bands.

As Art said, “It’s nice to know that another one of our peregrines is out there, doing well in the world!”

Click here for banding event “baby pictures” of the siblings last May.

(photo from Wetzel County Emergency Center staff in New Martinsville, West Virginia)