They have also started to sleep individually rather than in a group, particularly on warmer nights. They have begun walking on their feet more than on their tarsi, but may still rest on their tarsi periodically. Update 5/20: At just under four weeks old, the young falcons are becoming more mobile and independent. The oldest chick (left) has most of its juvenile feather in while the youngest (middle back) is still sporting mostly down feathers The chicks continue to grow in their juvenile feathers Learning to use their wings is hard work! The first flight happens around 40 days after hatching, so we can expect the oldest chick to fledge by early next week.Īt this stage the chicks have a mix of juvenile and down feathers, giving them a modeled look The chicks are spending more time exploring the ledge of the nest box and working on strengthening their wings in preparation for their first flight. The youngest chick is easily identified because it has much more down than the others. Update 6/2: Fledging is only a week away! At five weeks old, the young falcons are now almost completely covered in their buff-brown juvenile feathers, with only a few spots of down remaining. We are overjoyed at the success of this amazing nesting season! They will stay with the adults throughout the summer, learning to hunt and fend for themselves, before breaking out on their own in the fall. The young falcons are easily identifiable from the adults with their light brown and heavily streaked bellies. However, all four chicks looked healthy in the final photos from the nest box camera, so we are hopeful that all were successful. Update 6/14: The young falcons have fledged from the nest box! In a recent visit to Lima, wildlife professionals were able to locate three of the four fledglings. Today the peregrine falcon is delisted at both the federal and state levels, but will continue to be monitored. Research showed that DDE, a by-product of DDT, accumulated in the fatty tissue of female peregrines and disrupted their production of normal calcium layers in egg shell formation and peregrine falcons were placed on the federal endangered species list in 1970. The peregrine falcon was the bird used by royalty in the Middle Ages, and its nests were sometimes the exclusive property of the nobles. Because of its strength, intelligence, and maneuverability, the peregrine falcon was a prized possession among falconers. Falconry, the use of birds of prey in hunting, dates back to the year 2000 B.C.
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