Other Peregrine Projects > USA Peregrines

AZ / Phoenix - 2016-17

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Alison:
When I checked the site today, I found this:

Thank you for visiting the Phoenix peregrine falcon live-streaming camera page. The peregrines did not select the nest box this season so there will be no live feed this year. We would have loved to witness their nesting behavior and care of the young. Check back with us next season.

They don't say whether the peregrines have chosen any nest site or not. I wish only good things for this pair.  :(

Alison:
The webcam is still not online, but I came across this:

Air Conditioning Planned For Phoenix Peregrine Falcon Nesting Box

By Kerry Fehr-Snyder

If any peregrine falcons decide to take up residence in the nesting box above downtown Phoenix this season, they could be in for a cool surprise.

Arizona Game and Fish Department wants to add air conditioning to the box atop a Maricopa County building at Third Avenue and Washington Street. The air-conditioning unit is pending approval.

“We don’t anticipate there being any problem [with approval],” said Randy Babb, Arizona Game and Fish Department’s watchable wildlife manager.

The department is modifying the falcon nesting box in hopes of preventing a repeat of last season in which the only chick that hatched fell out of the nest and later died. It also was believed to be too hot for the chick, known as an eyass.

Officials temporarily turned off the live camera feed of the falcons’ comings and goings after the accident in mid-May. Babb said workers expect to turn the camera, which was upgraded in 2016, back on in the next few weeks.

“We are very excited for this,” he said. “It’s like a soap opera, right?”

Babb was referring to whether the male and female will successfully breed and whether any eggs laid will hatch.

Officials have been consulting with peregrine falcon experts to determine the best way to assure a successful breeding season, which usually begins in late March. Breeding pairs have been using the box on the county building for about a decade, but only two birds have ever survived to the age of fledgling, according to Game and Fish.

Among changes workers have made is adding caulk inside the nesting box and lowering its lip so it is closer to the edge to help the chicks enter and exit. It also plans to add an air-conditioning system to the outside of the box.

The peregrine cam in Phoenix is one of two livestream cameras maintained by Game and Fish. A webcam of sandhill cranes in southern Arizona typically runs from October through March or early April.

Babb said the peregrine livestream has drawn interest from many viewers.

“We hear more from the peregrine cam than the cranes cam,” Babb said. “Everybody is super engaged.”

http://kjzz.org/content/430671/air-conditioning-planned-phoenix-peregrine-falcon-nesting-box

There are also photos of work being done on the nest box with the article.

We shall see if the air conditioning actually becomes a reality.

mspeach:
Talked to some of the education staff today at Liberty Wildlife about Arizona peregrines.
For the most part they don't migrate like their artic brethren, they are in Phoenix year round.
The females are 700 - 750g and don't have that layer of fat needed for colder climates.  We did have a female from California we rehabbed for years that was 900 - 1000g.   
For drinking water there are rivers (not like WPG rivers!!) and lakes and ponds in parks and golf courses.  Many fountains also.  They nest on several buildings, on ledges above lakes and in the Grand Canyon.
On LW rehab side we have peregrine foster parents with I think 3 chicks presently.   On the education side we have 2 very popular birds.   We did have a female that lived 19 yrs. and a male that lived to the ripe old age of 24 yrs.

The Peregrine Chick:
That was a nicely concise, empathetic and encouraging note from the Arizona folks. 

They weren't cavalier and didn't downplay or dismiss the emotional attachment cam-viewers have for this peregrine family but they also gently reminded folks of how tough it can be to be a peregrine.

Good things do come out of bad though - now they have a bit of extra time (in already busy lives) to consider how they might tweak the nestbox if they are so inclined. 

burdi:
Arizona Game and Fish Department Update:
  
"Everyone at Arizona Game and Fish appreciates the outpouring of support and emotion from our peregrine-cam family. We have heard from people across the country and share the disappointment felt by all at the failure of this year’s nesting attempt. By not interfering with the nesting birds and letting nature chart its own course, we strive to bring you an uncensored glimpse into the daily lives of truly wild animals. We know that many people find this distressing. We feel that constant intervention and meddling with the workings of the nest serve only to lessen the educational value of the experience, presenting a sanitized version of reality.

The naturally high mortality rate for the young of these birds presents great obstacles for every chick. This nest, like so many others around the world, was unsuccessful this year. We will be discontinuing the peregrine live feed for the season this Saturday, June 11.

We expect the birds to use the same nest box next year and will begin the live stream when they return (likely in late Feb. or early March). We hope to once again share the experience with you, and we hope you will join us.

The department works with more than 800 wildlife species, several of these are endangered or threatened species. We are happy to share our efforts with all who care about conservation and the future of wildlife resources. No matter how you came to this page, we're grateful for your support, and we hope you will continue to stay in touch through either personal contacts or our publications and programs. Check our website (www.azgfd.gov) frequently for new program offerings."

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