Comment
Welcome to the live chat about the falcon family living on the ledge of the 15th Floor of the Rachel Carson State Office Building here in Harrisburg, Pa. We are ready for your questions!

Question
Mr. Brauning I've been watching a falcon pair since late last summer in the Oakland area of Pittsburgh. I did see them mating on 4/26/00, the last time I saw her was 5/4/00. I have seen the male on occasion flying around the top of the building I think the nest could be located. If there is a nest and eggs do hatch when could I start to look for the fledglings.

Answer
Karen, Thanks for your question. In fact this year we have identified the nest site on the Cathedral of Learning. A couple eggs have been found and we're monitoring the progress.

Answer
Young birds fledge, or take their first flight, at between 40 and 45 days. Keep watching.

Question
What are the sexes?

Answer
At this time, we do not know the sexes of the chicks. However, at the time of banding next week we may be able to determine the sexes of the chicks based on size. Adult females are up to 30% larger than males and this size difference is discernible in especially older chicks. The differences between the sexes, other than size, are often subtle and difficult to determine.

Question
The Philadelphia Inquirer stated that the female falcon was from the Girard Point bridge near Philly, do you know if there are still any falcons near the bridge and if they have any eggs?

Answer
The nesting female here at the Rachel Carson Building in fact was raised on the Girard Point bridge in 1998. The nesting pair on the bridge have 2 young again this year. I banded them yesterday.

Question
What is the connection between Rachel Carson and the Falcons? - Brad

Answer
You asked about Rachel Carson. It's a happy irony that the Harrisburg peregrines are nesting on a building named for her. Carson's work had a lot to do with saving the peregrine falcon from near-extinction due to DDT in the fifties and sixties. Carson was born in 1907 near Pittsburgh and spent her childhood watching hawks circle above the banks of the Allegheny River. She became a biologist in the 20s, at a time when few women attempted it. She wrote pamphlets, studies and radio programs for the US Fish & Wildlife Service. From field work at places like Pennsylvania's Hawk Mountain Sanctuary she saw firsthand the effects of DDT and other pesticides on birds and wildlife. In 1962 she published Silent Spring, a book that changed the course of environmental history. She connected pesticides, the food chain and the disastrous population crashes of birds like the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon. And she further connected the whole mess to human health. Public opinion exploded. Less than ten years later w

Question
I would like to know what the pricipal prey for the falcons is, and whether all four chicks are likely to survive. Here in the UK the youngest often do not make it.

Comment
speaking of the book "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson... it's good if anyone has yet to read it.

Answer
Prey for falcons is songbirds the size of pigeons and smaller. Also starlings. And flickers.

Question
in the winter where will they go

Question
Are your cities plagued with thousands of pigeons like ours? That should keep the chicks fed. What is a "flicker"?

Comment
Silent Spring. You know, the neat thing about it was that it was one of the first books dealing with heavy environmental science that's written for ordinary people. Carson was good at that.

Answer
Where will they go in the winter? Truth is, we don't know. The young could disperse to South America. But we don't know much for sure.

Question
What is the average lifespan of the hawks?

Answer
Peregrine falcons can live up to 12 to 15 years in the wild. However, their average life span is less than 5 years. In fact the annual mortality rate of adults is 20% per year and in the bird's first year, their mortality can be as high as 60% to 70%.

Question
what does "Peregrine" mean? where does the word come from?

Answer
Peregrine in Latin is "Peregrinus" which means traveler. Peregrine falcons are well known for their long fall and spring migration flights.

Question
about how old are the adult hawks?

Answer
The female is two years old. The male is six or more years old, since he was first observed as an adult here in Harrisburg in 1996.

Question
Do you know where Hawk Mountain is located?

Answer
Hawk Mountain, a nationally-recognized site of hawk migration, is on the Schuylkill-Berks county line near Kempton.

Question
Will the eyases be individually color-coded to identify each?

Question
How fast have the hawks been recorded when diving?

Answer
In a vertical dive, also known as a stoop, adult peregrines have been clocked at speeds up to 220 miles an hour. However, this is an estimate as it is very difficult to measure the speed precisely.

Comment
I saw raptor migration on Sandia Peak Albuquerque in '98. Lots of harriers and accipters, and a pair of eagles, but no peregrines.

Question
Will the eyases be individually color-coded to identify each?

Answer
On June 1 we plan to place permanent identification bands on the young (known as eyasses). Each young will get 2 bands, a silver band with a unique identification number, and a color band, that is more easily legible from a distance.

Question
One chick is significantly smaller. Is this a male, or just at the end of the line for food?

Question
How old will the chicks be when they start flying?

Answer
Normally, the young birds take their first flight (called fledging) at 40 to 45 days since hatch. Great question!

Comment
My name is Steve Hoffman and I am the founder of an organization called Hawk Watch International, which started the Sandia Peak Hawk Watch back in 1984. Peregrins are seen at this site each spring and the total numbers per season can exceed 100 individual falcons in a good year. They are observed any time from mid-February through early-May. It's great that you made the hike in spring '98 and hope you can visit some of Hawk Watch International's other migration sites in the West.

Question
One chick is significantly smaller. Is this a male, or just at the end of the line for food?

Answer
The smaller young is probabily the last one to hatch. At this age, it is difficult to tell males from females. But, you are correct, that males are smaller!

Question
How many hawk eggs are normally laid by one female in a season?

Answer
Peregrine Falcons normally have 4 eggs, sometimes 3 or 5. Other hawks, like red-tailed hawks, normally have 3. Each species is adapted to its environment in many ways, including its clutch size (number of eggs).

Question
When the babies take their first(and possibility last) flight will the parents fly with them? Also in what direction from the building? Toward the railroad tracks.

Answer
When the chicks make their first flight from the nest, they can fly in any direction. However, because it is their maiden flight, they generally land below the level of the nest and sometimes may land on the ground (or in this case, in the street or on the sidewalk). Thus, the bird's first flight is extremely dangerous and the hazards are particularly severe in a city environment. No one understands exactly what stimulates the birds to make their first flight. One theory is that the parents withhold food at the time of fledging to encourage the birds to jump.

Question
How long will the chicks stay with the parents once they are flighted?

Answer
We normally see young stay in the area of the nest until late summer or early Fall. Normal fall migration for Peregrines is in late-September and early October, and the young often disperse then.

Question
Where do the hawks migrate from and to?

Answer
Most adult peregrines in Pennsylvania seem to stay relatively close to their nesting territory in the winter. We do not know where the young birds go when they disperse in the fall. However, we suspect the young birds spend the winter at least a few hundred miles south of their natal territory. Some birds could migrate to Mexico or Latin America.

Question
what are the best time to watch mom look for food

Answer
Each morning DEP staff find the mom feeding young at about 7 am. It is typical for hawks to feed at first light and again in the evening. Watch for feeding then.

Question
How big is the peregrines wing span now and when and the are adults?

Answer
Adult peregrines have a wing span of about three and a half feet. The nestlings are approximately half grown at this time. However, their feathers are just starting to grow. So their total wing span now is probably about 15 inches.

Question
How much food do hawks eat in a year?

Answer
CHA3rdgrade -- adult Peregrines eat about 10% of their weight per day, about 3 ounces. Why not figure it out yourselves for 365 days?

Question
Are rock doves the main food supply?

Answer
In Harrisburg, rock doves are the most abundant, available food supply in the area and very likely are the number one food item in their diet. However, specific quantitative studies of the birds' diet have not been conducted.

Question
Will the young stay in the same general vicinity or return to the nesting area?

Answer
The young will leave the Harrisburg area in early fall for parts unknown. They will begin looking for a nesting territory next spring. They could return to eastern Pennsylvania, but could just as likely go hundreds of miles away.

Question
How long do the parents have to feed the young; when are they capable of taking care of themselves?

Answer
The parent birds feed the young for 40 to 45 days while they are in the nest. Once the young leave the nest, they are fed by the parents for an additional 3 to 5 weeks. During this period, they gradually learn to hunt and capture food on their own. Slow learners could take 6 or 7 weeks after leaving the nest to be completely independent.

Question
Have you ever considered tracking the birds?

Comment
Well, sorry guys and girls - thanks for the chat but over here it is time to go and close the UK connection. Have a nice day!!!!!!!!

Question
are male and female adults colored differently, or is the main difference between them size?

Answer
Male and female Peregrine Falcons are colored the same, but the adult female is about one-third larger than the adult male. You might NOT be able to tell this on the web, unless the pair are standing side-by-side. The female here at Rachel Carson carries a band placed on her as a nestling, and the male is not banded.

Question
what areas of the world contain the most Peregrine Falcons, and what is there typical habitat?

Answer
Peregrines are most abundant in areas where there are lots of cliffs, lots of water, steep canyons and abundant avian prey. The one area that may contain the highest peregrine density in the world would be the coast of Alaska. Another area is the Grand Canyon of Arizona. Much of the Arctic of Greenland, Northern Canada, and Northern Alaska also contain a large, dense population of breeding peregrines.

Question
Are there ever situations where the adult falcons will abandon the young? If food is scarce for instance?

Answer
There is some possibility parent falcons might abandon their eggs if they are disturbed. Once the eggs hatch, the parents are extremely persistent in caring for their offspring and as long as the chicks remain alive, the parents will take care of them. If there is disturbance near by the nest, they will watch from a distance and return to the next as soon as the disturbance disappears. So, during chick banding, the parents keep a watchful eye from a distance and return to the nest as soon as the banding process is complete.

Question
During the banding process is there any dangers to the chicks or parent birds?

Answer
The banding process is completely safe for the young. Millions of birds have been banded and it has been shown to have no impact on their survival. In addition to providing important information on Peregrine populations, the young birds will receive a medical examination at the time of banding to assure their health. The young could be treated if necessary at that time. So, in addition to getting jewelry, they'll receive a check-up!

Question
will they help us with the black birds that come in late summer and fall

Answer
Peregrines occasionally prey on black birds but, they will not have a significant impact on the black bird population. There are too many black birds and too few peregrines.

Question
Do one or both parents stay at the nest with the chicks at night?

Answer
When the chicks are less than 3 weeks old, the mother bird will be on the nest both day and night, brooding the chicks. Once the chicks are 3 weeks old, they thermoregulate entirely on their own and do not need to be brooded. However, the female often remains near the nest to defend against predators or to shade the chicks in extremely hot weather.

Question
How territorial are the falcons. How close would another nest be permitted?

Answer
Peregrine Falcons are highly territorial and will not permit another Peregrine within their territory, particularly during the nesting season (now). At their highest densities, Peregrines are distributed about one mile apart along the Yukon River in Alaska.

Question
Are the chicks in any danger of becoming a meal for larger birds of prey?

Answer
Yes. The great horned owl is the number one predator of peregrine falcons, both adults and young. The young are especially vulnerable because they cannot fly away. Other possible predators include bald and golden eagles and other large owls. It is rare for adult peregrines to be captured by any predator.

Question
Is the male hunting for food during the day, or does he leave for good once the eggs hatch?

Answer
The male is the primary food provider throughout the nesting season, from nest building through the young's independence. He hunts constantly from dawn to dusk, depending on his success rate and the abundance of prey in the local area. The female hunts only if necessary and only after the chicks are about three weeks old.

Question
Do peregrines mate for life or do they get a new breeding partner every year?

Answer
Peregrines normally are monogamous (remain paired for life). However, on the death or disappearance of one of the mates, they will accept a replacement.

Question
what other kinds of big birds are in central pa any eagles

Answer
Bald eagles are rare nesters in Central Pennsylvania. More bald eagles come to Pennsylvania in winter. Golden eagles migrate through Central Pennsylvania in spring and fall, and a few may over winter.

Comment
Thank you for the information. -- Chestnut Hill Academy 3rd grade. We need to leave now.

Question
Is the male hunting for food during the day, or does he leave for good once the eggs hatch?

Answer
This dad is an attentive parent. He shared the incubation duties with the female from day one and continued to feed both his mate and the young. Happy Father's Day!

Question
Do the "banders" have to wear any protective equipment when banding the falcons?

Answer
The bander usually wears a hard hat and protective gear for the eyes, just in case the parent birds choose to attack.

Question
Sorry if this has been asked earlier but...how will you do the banding of the chicks without seriously disturbing the adults?

Answer
The banding process will take less than an hour. During this time, the parent birds will be understandably upset. However, as soon as the bander departs, the parents will settle back into their routine almost immediately. This level of stress will have no long-term impact on the survival of either the young or the adults.

Question
I believe the first female was considered to be a "hybrid". Does this mean the falcons will mate outside their breed?

Answer
The presence of a 'hybrid' at this nest was an extrodinarily rare, unexected event. There are numerous physical and behavioral restraints to hybridation in nature. So, falcons have been known to mate outside their breed in nature, but it is a very rare event and generally is not successful.

Question
What keeps the asseyes from wandering off the ledge especially when the mother is away ???

Answer
The chicks have a strong instinct to not fall from the ledge. However, a strong wind or a push from a sibling could result in the fall of a nestling prior to the time they can fly. In such instances, the mishap will result in the death of the chick. This type of event is believed to be extremely rare in wild peregrine populations.

Question
When you perform the medical examination during the banding, what types of things do you check for?

Answer
We perform a simple exam, looking for common parasites (feather lice) or diseases. Feather lice are not debilitating but will be treated if we see it. A peak down the throat will detect some of the other common diseases.

Question
In terms of intelligence, how do peregrine falcons compare to other birds?

Answer
All raptors must learn quickly if they are to survive in the wild. Most raptors catch their prey only once in every five attempts. Just as they are learning better ways to catch their prey, the prey are learning ways to avoid being caught. Hence, there is a premium on fast learning by predators, such as peregrines. However, their intelligence does not approach that of a parrot or even a crow or raven based on some experimental studies in the laboratory. However, it is very difficult to judge the raw intelligence of any wild bird species, so this response is fraught with problems.

Question
Are all the babies expected to survive?

Answer
The first year of any bird's life is very dangerous. Possibly 75 percent will die from natural causes. But, food supply is excellent here in Harrisburg and the parents are caring for the young well. So, we are hopeful that each of the four young will survive until fledging (first flight).

Question
How do you catch the hatchlings to band them?

Answer
The best time to band peregring nestlings is from the age of 20 to 35 days. During this time, the legs are almost fully grown and thus the band will not fall off. In addition, the chicks are young enough to be easily captured in a nest. After the age of 35 days, the birds can run and attack and jump. However, the greatest danger is the birds prematurely jumping from the nest to their death. However, as long as the bander enters the next when the oldest chick is no more than 35 days of age, there is almost no risk to the birds or the bander.

Question
Do you expect any of the babies to stay in the area, or only the parents?

Answer
If one of the parents should die within the next two years, one or more of this year's chicks could return to nest with one of their parents. However, it is more likely the young birds will wander more widely looking for a suitable place to nest. Most peregrines nest within 50 to 100 miles of their natal territory, but some may wander up to a few hundred miles to find a nest site and a mate.

Question
How do you catch the hatchlings to band them?

Answer
At the age of banding, the chicks can be simply picked up and transported to a safe place for banding. The problem is if banding is attempted when the chicks are near fledgling age. At this time, the chicks can run or jump and are in danger of falling or jumping from the nest. Therefore, no one should attempt banding when the chicks are more than 35 days of age.

Question
have there ever been reports of falcons attacking humans without cause?

Answer
Peregrines will only attack humans in an attempt to defend their offspring. To my knowledge, there is not a single instance of peregrines or any other raptor attacking humans away from their immediate nest site.

Question
what do the chicks eat

Answer
From hatching, the chicks are fed by the adults small parts of birds caught in the area. When the young are old enough to tear food apart on their own, the adults will leave birds for them to eat. They wil continue to be dependent on birds caught by the adults until they can catch their own food several weeks after fledging.

Question
Is there anything specific about this building, or its immediate surroundings, that made the falcons consider it to be an excellent nesting location?

Answer
The height of the building and the presence of the box, combined with an abundance of prey in the city and along the nearby Susquehanna River, were probably the combination of attractants for these birds.

Question
when did you's find the chick's?

Answer
The incubating birds were observed via camera and thus we were able to determine the exact time the eggs hatched. The first one hatched the night of May 3rd and the last one hatched the morning of May 7th.

Question
where did the little "box" come from that the falcons live in?

Answer
The nest box was placed on the ledge in 1996 when Peregrines first appeared in downtown Harrisburg. The Pennsylvania Game Commission has worked with DEP and DCNR to encourage these birds to nest on the Rachel Carson building. A nest tray, with gravel and a sun-shade, greatly improves the chances of success for peregrines nesting on buildings.

Question
Where in the area are natural falcon nesting sites?

Answer
Cliff sites greater than 100 feet vertical along the Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers would be preferred natural nesting sites. However, no wild falcons have yet been located throughout this region.

Question
can you tell the number of females and males there are

Answer
At this time, we do not know the sex ratio of the nestlings. However, next week when we band the chicks, we may be able to determine the sex based on the size of their legs.

Question
are you going to name them

Answer
We have deliberately chosen not to name these wild falcons. From a wildlife management and conservation perspective, it is unwise to personify wildlife.

Question
What is hacking and how does it relate to Peregrine falcons?

Answer
Hacking is an old falconry technique in which birds are gradually released into the wild. This was the major technique used to re-establish the Peregrine Falcon, as well as Bald Eagle, to areas the species disappeared from. Peregrines were released (hacked) in Williamsport, Reading, Harrisburg, and Allentown during the 1990s.

Question
According to your observations so far, do all the nestlings seem of equal size and strength?

Answer
It is clear that one chick is smaller than the other 3. Based on our observations of hatching dates, this chick is three to four days younger than its siblings. This is a result of the female initiating incubation after laying the third egg.

Question
I understand you relocated the first female that was in the Harrisburg area. When you relocate a bird, what are the chances of that bird returning to the area on its own?

Answer
The female that joined the male and first established a pair here at the Rachel Carson building was captured and removed because she was the offspring of a hybrid falconer's bird, and as a result was sterile. She now resides at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh and serves their education program.

Question
How do you band them? Will the parents get angry?

Answer
On June 1, falcon expert Dan Brauning of the Pennsylvania Game Commission will venture out to the box and retrieve the chicks for banding and health assessment. During this time, the parents will be noticeably upset. However, the entire process is expected to take less than 1 hour and the behavior of the adults should return to normal shortly after the chicks are returned to the nest.

Question
what is the world population of peregrines, and how does that compare with other birds such as bald eagles?

Answer
We do not know the world population of peregrines, but an estimate for North America might range from a low of 15,000 to a high of 30,000. Worldwide, peregrines may number about 50,000 or more. The bald eagle population in North America probably exceeds 100,000 birds. In general, raptor populations are small compared to other birds because they are predators with extremely large territories.

Question
When will the chicks be able to fly?

Answer
Most peregrines make their first flight at an age of 42 to 45 days. The birds are currently 17 to 21 days old, so it is estimated that the first flights of the chicks will occur on or near June 15th.

Question
Could you comment on these falcon's adaptation to an urban, human populated environment? Are they indifferent to the presence of humans?

Answer
Peregrine Falcons have adapted remarkably well to an urban environment. But, they are also highly territorial and can be very aggressive toward anyone (or other bird of prey) approaching their nest. They apparently have learned that people at street level are not a threat to them, but don't go on the roof above their nest or they will attempt to drive you away. The urban environment does, however, involve hazards that birds nesting on a cliff do not face, such as panes of glass and street-level activity.

Question
WILL THE CHICKS STAY IN THE AREA,ALONG WITH THERE PARENTS

Answer
The chicks will disperse from the nest area sometime this fall. They may return for a brief period next spring or at any time until they establish their own breeding site which could be up to several 100 miles away.

Question
Other falcon species -- like merlins and kestrels -- in the area?

Answer
Over the course of the year, three species of falcons may be found in central Pennsylvania, and may be seen in Harrisburg. Merlins are migrants and may over-winter here; Kestrels are found year-round and nest in both rural and urban areas; and the Peregrine is still recovering its population and in Pennsylvania nests only in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Wilkes-Barre .

Comment
Thanks for joining us for this afternoon's chat. Please join us again next Thursday, June 1 at 1 p.m. for the live webcast of the banding of the falcons.

Comment
thank you

Comment
Thank you for an interesting time.