DEC bands 5 falcon chicks at Central Terminal

Photos from http://www.peregrineplace.com/

For Release: IMMEDIATE
Friday, June 16, 2010

Contact: Megan Gollwitzer
(716) 851-7201

MORE PEREGRINE FALCON CHICKS HATCH IN BUFFALO
New Nest Box on Central Terminal Hosts Chicks for the First Time

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in cooperation with the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation, is pleased to announce that Peregrine Falcons are nesting for the first time on Buffalo’s historic Central Terminal building – another victory in the decades long effort to reintroduce this endangered species in the northeast.

The next box, constructed and installed by the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation last fall, is currently home to two adult Peregrines and five chicks who began hatching on May 22nd of this year. DEC Biologists today accessed the nest to band the falcon chicks (also known as eyases) and report that they are healthy and in good condition.

“Adequate nesting habitat plays a critical role in the peregrine falcons’ comeback, and this new box provides an ideal nesting location,” said Connie Adams, Senior Wildlife Biologist for DEC. “During the next few weeks, the chicks will lose their downy feathers and grow adult plumage necessary for flight. After fledging — becoming capable of flight — the young falcons will typically stay in the area for about six weeks while they develop their flying and hunting skills.”

Banding young Peregrine Falcons provides biologists with important information on the bird’s movements and survival, and is useful in understanding their year-round habitat needs. The banding process involves briefly removing the chicks from the nest when they are about three weeks old and gently placing a color coded metal band around one of their legs and an aluminum U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service band on the opposite leg. These bands are uniquely lettered and numbered so that the birds can be identified and data can be collected on their movements, population, feeding habits and survival. After banding, the birds are immediately returned to their nest and the care of their parent birds.

The idea of placing a nesting box at Central Terminal took shape when DEC biologists and local birdwatchers observed peregrine falcons frequenting areas around the building. When DEC asked the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation to consider hosting a nest box, they were quick to cooperate.

The nest box, located about 120 feet above the ground near the top of Central Terminal, was selected as a nesting location by the two adult falcons earlier this year. DEC Biologists report that both of the parent birds are un-banded, indicating that their origin and exact age is unknown.

Home to seven known pairs of Peregrine Falcons, the Buffalo Niagara Area now boasts the largest urban Peregrine Falcon population in upstate New York. Active Peregrine Falcon nests in the Buffalo Niagara area include:

- A newly constructed manmade nest box (placed in February, 2009) by University at Buffalo staff) on Mackay Heating Plant tower at the University of Buffalo’s south campus inhabited by an adult pair of Peregrines and 3 chicks;
- A manmade nest box (placed in 2001 by NYS Thruway Authority) on the North Grand Island bridge inhabited by pair of falcons and 4 chicks;
- A naturally constructed nest (discovered June, 2009) on the South Grand Island Bridge inhabited by a pair of falcons and 1 chick
- A historic manmade nest box (built by DEC and used by falcons since 1998) on the Statler Towers that is inhabited by a pair of falcons and 4 chicks;
- A newly constructed manmade nest box (placed November, 2009) on Central Terminal inhabited by a pair of Peregrines and 5 chicks; and
- and a newly discovered nest site at a grain elevator on Buffalo’s waterfront which is currently inaccessible to investigation.
- A pair of peregrines at Niagara Falls, immediately downstream of the Falls, although exact location of their nest site this year has not been determined.

“Since nesting Peregrine Falcon pairs typically return to the same nesting site year after year, we can look forward to seeing activity at all of these locations again next spring, said Adams. “Many of the adult pairs will defend their nest site all year long,”

MORE ON PEREGRINE FALCONS
Peregrines typically build their nests on high ledges or cliffs that are 50 to 200 feet off the ground, but are also known to readily adopt artificial nest boxes placed on tall buildings or bridges in urban areas where cliff sites are unavailable. Unlike hawks that build their nest of sticks, Peregrine Falcons simply make a shallow depression, called a scrape, for the eggs in whatever substrate is available. Nesting peregrine falcon pairs typically return to the same nesting site year after year. Peregrine Falcons feed almost entirely on birds, and are known for their dramatic dives on prey, attaining speeds of over 200 miles per hour.

Classified as an endangered bird species in New York State, Peregrine Falcons were completely eliminated from the Eastern United States in 1964, mainly due to DDT pesticide residues in their prey which caused reduced breeding success. Due to state and federal bans on the use of DDT and reintroduction efforts started in New York State and followed by other eastern states, this species’ population has grown steadily.

DEC recently published a “State Peregrine Falcons Report,” in 2009 which documents the presence of 73 territorial pairs of state endangered Peregrine Falcons, of which slightly more than half were recorded in upstate New York. In 2009, 61 of these pairs bred and hatched 132 young. New York State now has the largest population of peregrines in the eastern United States. Additional information on Peregrine Falcons is available on DEC’s website at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7059.html .