AB / Red Deer - Capri Centre - 2009-11

[sami]

Thanks for the info, Bev. It's amazing that one chick survived the bad weather, but thankful it did. And hopefully both chicks will do well now.

[bev.]

I have  the  information and did not know if I was allowed to share it but since you have so much already I will fill in the blanks the 4 chicks that died did not survive the horrible wind and rain storms the  area had. They were happy one survived and I was told it was doing very well.  The chick brought in was from the MIsrecordia nest in Edmonton. They had 4 and it was noticed at banding that one was quite small. So  they thought it would  do better in  a nest with one  other chick as it would get fed more , adn the 3 remaining ones at the MIsrecordia would get more as they grew older. And it is always good to have 2 chicks in a nest and they knew the Red Deer pair could handle it. they do this all the time, if necessary. the death of the 4 chicks was not the fault of the parents.They also put up a nest box now which should help against the elements. they were going to put one up later but the time wa right now. Hope that fills in the gaps.

[Alison]

Four chicks died due to rain, surviving chick okay now after a little help, second chick fostered into the nest, hence the two there now.  Why from Edmonton? The Edmonton female was inexperienced and with one less chick to support will be able to better meet the needs of her remaining chicks.  Why foster one here, chicks do better, fledging etc if they aren't alone, so adding a chick to this nest helps everyone.  And no, the adults don't really care whose chicks they are ... 

Thank you, TPC, for the reply. I'm curious about which Edmonton nest this was, and who the falcons are at the nest. Peregrines are usually such good foster parents! I agree that chicks do better if they are not the only one. I think they learn quite a bit from each other, especially once they fledge and start playing in the air together.

[debc52]

Thanks TPC. Interesting to know they fledge better when more than one. Hard to imagine that parents don't know that one chick isn't theirs. Especially with all the dive bombing that goes on when stuff is being done to their little ones. How we do like to anthropomorphize(sp?)!

[The Peregrine Chick]

I wonder what happened to the four chicks, and why it was decided to move a chick from an Edmonton nest (and I wonder which nest?).

Four chicks died due to rain, surviving chick okay now after a little help, second chick fostered into the nest, hence the two there now.  Why from Edmonton? The Edmonton female was inexperienced and with one less chick to support will be able to better meet the needs of her remaining chicks.  Why foster one here, chicks do better, fledging etc if they aren't alone, so adding a chick to this nest helps everyone.  And no, the adults don't really care whose chicks they are ... 

[carly]

Oh wow Alison, thanks for the follow up here.  I hope the remaining little one and the foster chick are both healthy and surviving to fledge.  Perhaps TPC can get some updates for us.

[Alison]

There is an article in the Red Deer Advocate today about the falcons at the Capri Centre. Part of the article:

Biologists hopeful for falcon family on the penthouse
Red Deer Advocate - 21 July 2009

Alberta Fish and Wildlife is hopeful two peregrine falcon chicks living on top of a 14-storey Red Deer hotel will survive after a little human intervention. Although Red Deer wildlife biologist Dave Prescott hasn’t returned to the roof of the Capri Centre in more than a week to see how the pair is doing in a man-made nesting box, he’s confident of their survival. He doesn’t want to disturb them as they approach flying for the first time.
 
“There’s no reason they aren’t doing well now,” said Prescott on Monday.

Prescott and hotel staff were keen to help the parents of five falcon chicks, which were born on top of the hotel on the corner of 32nd Street and Gaetz Avenue. Four of them died due to exposure from wind and rain. The remaining one was barely surviving, so Prescott gave it a “bit of a kick-start.”

“I gave it some raw chicken while the mother circled overhead,” Prescott said. The mother seems to be a good one, considering all five eggs had hatched and had survived for a little while. Fish and Wildlife decided to bring a male chick from Edmonton, where a young inexperienced mother had been caring for four. It was brought to Red Deer on July 10. A three-sided plywood box was added, which will help protect the youngsters from cold weather. Prescott expects if all is going well, that these two birds will begin flying in about 10 days.

This is likely the fourth time that the falcons have chosen the Capri Centre for their high nesting spot, according to Fish and Wildlife. egrine falcons mate for life and breed in the same territory each year. Two peregrine falcons and their young, believed to be three in total, are living on top of the Telus tower on the north hill. A manmade nesting box was set up there about 10 years ago, Prescott said. Alberta has developed a recovery program for the peregrine falcon, which is legally a threatened species in Alberta.

“The public has told us that these species are at risk and we should be protecting them,” Prescott said. The peregrine can reach speeds over 322 km/h in a dive, making it the fastest animal in the world. Prescott described them as spectacular hunters.
They catch their prey in mid air and feast mainly on medium-sized birds. Occasionally, they hunt small mammals, small reptiles or even insects.

Prescott said people should be able to see the falcons flying around the Capri. “They are majestic birds and are worth a look.”

To view the original including photos ... http://www.albertalocalnews.com/reddeeradvocate/news/local/Biologists_hopeful_for_falcon

I wonder what happened to the four chicks, and why it was decided to move a chick from an Edmonton nest (and I wonder which nest?).

[bev.]

Wow!1  that was  a lot of reading.Glad the  littleone is just belwo. He will probably stay there now.

Off topic for a moment.  I know well the hotel that the peregrines are on in Red Deer. Saw that on the news the same day I was on the news.  


thanks for all the info today guys. and  thanks to anyone who is watching for the kids downtown,.

[carly]

Here is the CTV online article on Red Deer that willmax is talking about - they laid 5 eggs!!!:

http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090704/EDM_falcons_097004/20090704/?hub=EdmontonHome

And kudos to the hotel, they want to put up a nestbox so they'll come back again!

[Kinderchick]

I see CTV News Channel is showing another hotel falcon family.

Where is that willmax?

[willmax11]

2009 NESTING SEASON

I see CTV News Channel is showing another hotel falcon family.