Peregrine Falcon--
Falco peregrinus
Peregrines are birds of prey — also known as raptors, from the Latin rapere, "to seize." They belong to the falcon family, great hunters whose long wings, streamlined body, and small heads make them swift fliers.
A falcon's deadliest weapon is its notched beak, which it uses like a scalpel to kill prey by severing the spine at the neck. Peregrines also sometimes smash into flying prey, stunning or killing on impact.
The predator's remarkably sharp eyes are ringed in yellow. Black plumage covers the Peregrine's head like a sleek helmet—the distinctive mark of the species. Over its yellow hooked beak is an off-white stripe that looks like a mustache. The Peregrine's upper plumage varies from pale to dark blue. Its breast is white with horizontal black bars, and the lower body is white and reddish with black spots and bars.
The term "falcon," incidentally, is usually reserved for a female. The male is called a "tercel," which traces to a German word for "one-third," because the male is 1/3 smaller than the female.
For the past five years a man-made nest box on top of Kodak Tower has been the focus of much activity and interest. Here, Peregrine falcons Mariah and Cabot-Sirocco have produced and nurtured four clutches consisting of fourteen offspring. We have watched and documented the nesting, incubation, hatching, and maturation of each of these clutches.
Kodak's involvement with the nesting of falcons began in 1994 when Dennis Money, founder of the Rochester Peregrine Falcon Project, asked to place a nest box on top of the Kodak Tower. The chosen location was described as "a perfect nesting place with tons of nooks and crannies."
Four years later, in 1998, Mariah and Cabot-Sirocco started to use the nest box. They continue to come back year after year and allow us to witness the life cycle of these magnificent birds. I have one photo from The Rachel Building in Harrisburg, Pa. on the last page.
This is Mariah and her Chicks, Bonnie G, Mr. Carney, Ranger and Reggie.
