Richmond Falcon Cam

On June 6th DGIF staff will use a remote trigger to open the pen door and let these young birds take their first flight. In past years we’ve used a door release mechanism comprised of an ice bottle and weight that allowed the door to open without any humans nearby to frighten or panic the young birds. This year a different mechanism will be used that will allow us to control the precise moment the pen opens.  This device will be installed the day before and opened once staff and volunteers are in place the morning of June 6th.

DGIF staff will monitor the first flights from a variety of vantage points in Richmond buildings as well as the streets surrounding Riverfront Plaza.  Volunteers will assist with coverage of the streets below to ensure we can track the flights of all three birds. 

These birds have shed almost all of their down as can be seen by the fluffy feathers festooning the pen.

With their flight feathers almost fully grown in they should be more then ready to fly next week.

The pen that helps to keep the chicks secure on the ledge doesn’t interfere with the parents ability to keep them fed. Below are photos of the female feeding all three of the chicks through the pen.  Larger prey portions are even passed through the bars, giving the young falcons pratice at tearing and dismembering their own food.

Yesterday, the three Richmond peregrine falcon chicks were banded by biologists with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.  All three chicks were examined and appear to be in excellent health.  As expected both adults vigorously defended the nesting ledge.

Measurements indicated that we have two female and one male chick this year. 

Gender         USGS Federal Band        Aux. Band        Weight                 Female            1807-65073                 35/AV           919.0 g                Female            1807-65074                 36/AV           882.0 g                   Male               1126-11905                 83/AS           621.5 g

Biologists with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will band the Richmond peregrine falcon chicks this Thursday May 17th.  Biologists will access the ledge and retrieve the chicks who will be weighed, measured and fitted with two bands.  The first band is green aluminum and has a unique 9 digit numerical code.  A second green and black band has letters and numbers large enough to read with binoculars or telescope.  This auxiliary band is meant to assist with identifying birds in the field without having to capture them.   

Bird banding is an important tool in avian conservation that helps researchers and wildlife managers answer important questions about longevity, migration and what habitats birds use. If you should encounter a banded bird it can be reported to the US Geological Survey Bird Banding Lab at http://www.reportband.gov/

While the banding is being performed a pen will also be erected at the nest box.  There is a history of premature or accidental fledging at this nest. The pen ensures that the young birds have plenty of time to develop before taking their first flight. The door is opened remotely on the release date and ensures that VDGIF is able to position staff and volunteers on the ground the day the birds fledge to provide assistance if any of the young birds run into trouble. Check out the blog archive for video footage of chick banding and the chicks exercising in the pen.

These three chicks are doing well and by all indications are very well fed.  They are standing on their feet for extended periods of time and moving around the ledge near the nest box. 

The nestlings who each weighed a mere 35-40 grams when they hatched (about as much as 7-8 U.S. nickels) are well fed and growing quickly.  At 19 days old we can see flight feathers emerging from their sheaths along the edges of the wings and the tail. 

The chicks have become much more mobile, and over the weekend clambered out of the nest box.  Although they don’t appear able to hop back in yet there is a variety of cover available along the ledge.  Soon the chicks will be able to stand for extended periods of time and we will likely see their explorations of the ledge expand.