Yesterday afternoon three female peregrine chicks were banded at the Gulf Tower in Downtown Pittsburgh. It was quite a media event with videos from KDKA and the Post-Gazette, linked below.
Here’s the story in pictures.
Before the banding, Dori guarded her nestlings. This blind is always closed except on Banding Day. Dori knows something is up.
As the banders came out on the ledge, Lori Maggio took photos from the ground. Here Dan Brauning, lead bander and Wildlife Diversity Chief at the PA Game Commission, holds up his hand so Dori can’t get too close.
This chick waits patiently though she wasn’t always quiet.
The process is set up like an assembly line to minimize the time the chicks are indoors.
Dan Brauning applied the bands …
… then each chick got a health check from the National Aviary‘s Dr. Pilar Fish with assistance from Teri R.
You may recall that one unhatched egg remained at the nest. The PA Game Commission collected it for routine chemical tests to provide a data point in the decades-long recovery of peregrine falcons.
As the chicks were returned to the nest, Dori and Louie dove and kakked.
And then Dori resumed guard duty.
(photos by Kate St. John, John English and Lori Maggio)
Click on the links below for video coverage of the Gulf Tower banding on 16 May 2017.
From KDKA:
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/05/16/gulf-tower-peregrine-falcon-chicks/
From the Post-Gazette:
https://www.facebook.com/pittsburghpostgazette/videos/10155361012879826/
It sounds like the chicks at Gulf were alot quieter than the ones at Pitt. I guess the Pitt chicks learned to be really loud from their mother. So happy that all are healthy. Hoping for six successful fledges.
Cindy, we don’t know which one was at the front of the box.
A joy to see every single year. Thanks, Kate!
Kate-just a terminology question. At what point do they stop being called hatchlings and start being nestlings, or is it interchangeable? Fledglings seems more obvious!
Anne
Anne, I’m not sure that there’s official terminology but I use “nestlings” and “chicks” somewhat interchangeably during the white downy stage. Hatchlings are very young, only a day or two old.
So fun! Thanks Kate, looking forward to watching the end of the season, and then we wait…for next year.
Thank you. Very happy things turned around.
I didn’t realize how big the eggs are until seeing that one in an egg carton. Much bigger than it seems on camera!
I just noticed the Pitt nestlings had been banded, this evening. I checked your blog, and sure enough, you had all the details and wonderful photos and video of the nestlings from both Pitt and Gulf. They look much smaller on camera. It is so interesting to see them in human hands to find out they are some big babies. Thank you so very much for sharing this information. Onward to fledge time.