Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Peregrine Falcons Back At The Uptown Theatre

According to the Chicago Peregrine Falcon Blog, Chicago’s “Official Bird” (the Peregrine Falcon) has nested again at the Uptown Theatre.

4. Uptown Theatre: 9th year for this site. Currently incubating. Three eggs on 4/1/09. In 2008, fledged three and adults were the male G/G (b/g 2001 Wheatfield, IN) and female Zoom *4/H (1997 St. Paul. MN).

A word to the squeamish - the blog has a rather graphic photo at the top of a (former) pigeon Red-winged Blackbird and a Cedar Waxwing after a peregrine falcon encounter. Not for the faint-of-heart.

Photo courtesy of "stirwise" at Flickr.

8 comments:

  1. Do they eat rabbits??? The crows seem to keep the squirrels in line...but i'd love the falcons to drive the rabbits back to the lakefront...out of my garden!

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  2. I love them and think they are so beautiful.

    And they cut down on the Pigeon population which is a good thing.

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  3. Yep, I've definitely seen various small remnants of the devoured prey lining my street...

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  4. More Peregrine Pics

    We have a gallery of peregrine photos posted via the link at www.uptowntheatre.com Look for the official bird logo.

    Many thanks to the volunteers who built and placed the nesting box years ago and to Mary Hennan of the Field Museum who monitors the health and virilty of this natural nesting site. Note that these birds came here on their own. They were not hacked, or placed, here.

    The Uptown's geography is akin to the ledges and cliffs that they would prefer in a natural area. Here in the swamp of Checagou, the Uptown is about as good as it gets for a raptor!

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  5. Just wanted to let you know I saw a red fox over close the bird sanctuary.

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  6. The peregrines eat almost everything that moves. Our PR says pigeons but the fact is that they will hunt and eat songbirds, small mammals, etc.

    BTW, the female Zoom is one amazing bird. She has mothered many hatchlings and more than one mate. Each year she nests here now in her golden years is really, really something.

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  7. I have some photos of this Falcon on my porch. I'll post them later this evening.

    I've seen it twice perched on our fire escape. On both occasions it was a Saturday morning looking south at Graceland Cemetery.

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  8. I caught pictures of one of these birds perched on the ledge of my dining room window. It was truly amazing, less than three feet from my face through the glass. My boo and I are also quite lucky to see them hunt and teach their young to hung just outside our living room window, literally just yards from where we watch television. To see these majestic animals in action all spring, summer, and early fall is breath-taking.

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