A good spring for urban peregrine falcons

Biologists recently banded 13 chicks hatched and reared at four nests, including on neat the Plaza. The identification bands will aid in tracking the falcons' movements and survival. Courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation. 

Biologists recently banded 13 chicks hatched and reared at four nests, including on near the Plaza. The identification bands will aid in tracking the falcons’ movements and survival. Courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.

There are 13 more peregrine falcon chicks about to take wing this year in the metropolitan area.

Until they fledge, or fly away from the nests, some can be viewed online by streaming video.

“Fledging should take place in the next three weeks,” Joe DeBold, Missouri Department of Conservation urban wildlife biologist, said this week. “All chicks appear to be extremely healthy and vigorous.”

Cameras are mounted on nests at the KCP&L power plant north of Weston and at the American Century Investments building near the Country Club Plaza.

Biologists are also investigating a falcon pair with a nest near Main Street and Grand Boulevard in Union Hill, the conservation department said in a media release.

The birds are endangered in Missouri and conservation department nest boxes placed high on skyscrapers and power plant smokestacks are helping their numbers.

One Comment

  1. Bob Wurdack says:

    I love the Falcon cams! I live at 10th and Grand. I don’t know if they are nesting across the street from me, but I’ve been watching them all spring and have seen most of the behaviors.

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