Enraptured By Raptors
By Chris Hubbuch, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Jun. 7–Bob Anderson climbed over the ledge of the 10-story U.S. Bank building roof in downtown La Crosse on Friday, braving high winds, gravity and a pair of protective peregrine falcon parents — all in the name of raptor research.
Based on observations of the nesting box they’ve monitored for the past three years, Anderson, director of the Raptor Resource Project in Decorah, Iowa, and his assistant Dave Kester expected to find just one chick, but when they unscrewed the top, they were surprised to find three downy males. As the parent falcons swooped and screeched overhead in an effort to frighten them off, the intruders scooped each of the offspring from the nest and into a pet carrier for what has become a rite of passage for the urban birds of prey. After a ride down the elevator, each of the callow chicks was outfitted with two metal ankle bands — a purple U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ID on the right, a green tag readable through binoculars on the left.
A crowd of onlookers gathered in the bank lobby to ogle and photograph the chicks, which are known as eyasses. About 25 days old, they were white fuzzy balls with enormous eyes, sharp beaks and powerful talons. In about another 20 days, they should be fully feathered and ready to fly.
To learn more about the Raptor Resource Project and to see images from inside raptor nests, visit http://www.raptorresource.org">click here.
To learn more about peregrine falcons, http://www.fws.gov/endangered/recovery/peregrine/QandA.html#fast"> click here.
Falcons, which feed primarily on other birds do well in urban settings, where there are often abundant pigeons. Peregrines are considered nature’s fastest flyers. They have been clocked diving at 220 mph and take their prey in mid-air.
The population was nearly wiped out by the use of DDT in the 1960s, and by 1975, when it was put on the endangered species list, there were only 324 known nesting pairs. Today there are 2,000 to 3,000 pairs in North America and they are off the endangered list.
Established in 1988, the nonprofit Raptor Resource Project works to strengthen breeding populations of raptors such as falcons, hawks and owls by creating, improving, and maintaining nests and nest sites.
Anderson and his crew have put nest boxes on power plants and grain elevators along the Mississippi River from Cohasset, Minn., to Cassville, Wis. There also are urban nests in Minneapolis, Rochester, Minn., and Milwaukee.
After returning the banded chicks to their penthouse roost, Anderson and his crew packed up their gear and headed for the next pair, in a clifftop nest near Homer, Minn.
Chris Hubbuch can be reached at (608) 791-8217 or chubbuch@lacrossetribune.com.
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