A Peregrine death in the family
We received a call on Friday of a dead Peregrine Falcon found on the roof of the First National Bank tower in Omaha. The bird was banded with the auxiliary marker (the color band with the letter/number combination in a large font) 98/H. This particular band combination is familiar; 98/H was banded at the Nebraska State Capitol on 2 June 2009. The Peregrine was given the name “Niobrara” as a result that year’s name-the-chick contest.
The dead Peregrine Falcon’s auxiliary marker, 98/H
The bird’s carcass has numerous wounds and the carcass has been scavenged (I will spare you the gruesome details or photos). The disposition of the carcass and the location it was collected suggest the cause of death was from another animal. The carcass was recovered in an occupied Peregrine Falcon territory. Thus, this bird’s demise may have come at the hands, excuse me, talons, of another Peregrine Falcon. Peregrine Falcons are known for their prolonged and vicious fights, particularly when something as prized as a breeding territory is at stake. Such events may occur annually in the Midwest these days as suitable breeding territories have become occupied and breeding pairs have successfully produced more and more offspring. However, finding evidence of such battles likely occurs infrequently. This is perhaps another reminder that nature, while magnificent and beautiful, is equally harsh and cruel.
Such is nature…Still sad news.
The Omaha World-Herald became interested in this topic and put out the story at the following link:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20130312/NEWS/703139944/1707#falcon-fight-for-territory-turns-fatal
I am curious if you know of the young ones ever coming back to the their nest site and try to take over the territory from the parents?
In Manitoba we have a long tradition of sons and daughters taking over the nesting territories of their parents over the 20+ years we’ve had wild peregrines breeding in the province again. Our first nest was in 1989, in 1995 our male was replaced by his son, in 1998 by a nephew, in 2000 by a grand-son and a great-grandson in 2010. At another site, a 1995 wild-hatched son took over from his father in 2002, was replaced in 2007 by a half-brother when he didn’t return for one year then he was replaced permanently in 2011 by his son. This male had four mates – 1 a cousin from Regina, 1 an unrelated female from Fargo, then a sister of Alley’s and then a granddaughter from Grand Forks.
Even at the Woodmen Tower in Omaha there are connections – Mintaka and Niobrara are in-laws of Zeus. From 1996 to 1999, Zeus was paired with Winnie, also from Winnipeg. Winnie is Alley’s aunt and Mintaka’s and Niobrara’s great-aunt.
One big happy family!!
Wow, that is cool to know, yet very confusing too. LOL thanks for hte information. I am sure you saw that it is Alley back here again this year.
That is one of the downsides of following the progress of these awesome birds. Nature, I love it but I don’t like it too
Always sad to receive news that a young bird has died trying to take over a nesting territory. Sometimes it’s with bloodshed, sometimes not. So much potential lost and at three years of age, Niobrara was just the right age to start reproducing – too young can their inexperience really shows – we’ve had better luck when our resident birds are a couple of years older. And the stress of territorial battles is never good on the birds that “win” the territory as some of the resources used to produce and raise young are instead used to defend and fight. We’ve had more than 20 years of nesting peregrines at a couple of our nestsites, so quite a few changes in resident pairs over the years but we have yet to have a death due to territorial combat and knock-on-wood (highly scientific I know) the same is true this year.
I used to watch a site in New York on the Kodak building before we had a good camera here, and there was one year where the mama had to fend off another falcon and she succeded but was slighty injured so had to recoop. Well they had like 6 eggs and they all hatched and the papa just couldnt handle it all on his own and one night one of the little fluff balls did not get tucked under and it died due to being to cold I think. That was sad, and a bit hard to watch even though I realize it is nature and that is the way it is.