Other Peregrine Projects > Canadian Peregrines
ON / Mississauga - Executive Centre - 2008-20
carly:
I'm not sure how dad is to be honest, I expect he might be upset as instinct drives him to feed and protect them but he was probably in a tough spot. He's got a new female who's demanding his attention so his loyalties were no doubt torn.
I know it seems harsh to remove the chicks from dad but sometimes the new mate won't accept them, we are lucky she didn't harm them however she didn't seem to want to protect them from harm or feed them either.
It will be interesting to see if they try to start their own family now - it's late but not too late in the season.
TPC can explain the biology of all this behaviour much better than I can.
eagle63_1999:
That's what the hardwiring does for birds, they have chicks they have to feed em come heck or high water.
bccs:
thanks for the update Carly. Hope you're ok. And a big thanks to the people who rescued the chicks. How's the dad? He's gotta be wondering where the babies are. What a guy, trying to care for them on his own.
carly:
Sad news at Mississauga MEC site today which I am allowed to share with you-and you'd notice there are no chicks on the cam anymore if you went to look. They went up to band the 3 chicks there and found the adult female dead out on the ledge. Based on decomposition of her body, she was killed about 1.5 weeks ago by a new female. The male has done a decent enough job trying to keep the chicks fed and cared for however for the safety and health of the chicks the decision was made by the MNR and CPF to remove the chicks from the nest permanentely.
This was based on several factors; although the chicks were being fed, the females were 100-150 grams below the expected weight they should be at their age. All were dehydrated, hungry and keening. The new female apparently has not been seen even entering the nestbox since she won the territorial fight. She did not put up any defense at all of the chicks or show any interest in them being removed.
They were taken to a vet and spent the day there and are now rehydrated and have had some vitamins - didn't know they gave falcons vitamins! They are on the way to a falcon care facility, where for the next few days they will be fed to their hearts content and then either prepared for a hack release or fostered out.
The deceased resident female there was not a banded bird so we do not know who she was but she was quite a fireball they said, may her spirit soar free !
carly:
Better late than never, Mississauga MEC peregrine cam will be up this afternoon! Three hatches here!
You can see the new web camera at: http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/Web_Cams/Mississauga/index.htm
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