Do peregrines mate for life?

[Kinderchick]

So, what happened with Princess and Trey?  I thought I'd read that he was back this year, but she's mated with Ivy?  Was there a "falling out" so to speak?

UCM, if you go back to the beginning of the April 2010 Observations thread on the Radisson Peregrines Board, you will be able to read all about Trey not returning this year and Princess choosing to mate with Ivy.

[UCM]

So, what happened with Princess and Trey?  I thought I'd read that he was back this year, but she's mated with Ivy?  Was there a "falling out" so to speak?

[The Peregrine Chick]

Since we have had a bit of a game of musical chairs going on here this year, it seemed appropriate to revisit this question ...

Princess is with Ivy this year at the Radisson because Trey didn't/hasn't returned.  In 2003, Trey took a sabbatical from his last mate Madame before returning in 2004 with Princess.  Now that Princess is on eggs, I'm not sure what would happen if Trey arrived at this point.  Trey's dad, T-Rex took over his father Pop's eggs, when Pop disappeared mid-incubation.

Jules is with her new beau in West Winnipeg, despite Ivy still being around town.  Keep in mind that the West Winnipeg and the Radisson birds can see each other from their nestsites - yes, their eyesight really is that good!

And in Brandon, we think that it might be the 2008 resident pair Zeus and Holly that have returned (we have tried to read their bands but they aren't cooperating!).  If that's the case, then both Zeus and Holly have taken sabbaticals.  They both took 2003 "off", then Zeus did again in 2007 and Holly did in 2009.  In 2003 we had not nest in Brandon, but in 2007 Holly paired up with Zeus' brother (Keener-Screech) and in 2009, Zeus was paired with a young Radisson female, Hurricane.  When both Zeus and Holly are around however, they are the resident pair.

So yes they mate for life, but life is means as long as your mate returns.

[The Friesens]

That would make for one exhausted bird I would think. Especially when the mother would want to take a break. Dad would go from one nest to the next the females would have to feed him 

[The Peregrine Chick]

""On the flip side, there have been a very (very) few rare cases of a male supplying food to two nearby incubating females and it has been assumed that the offspring from both nests were his ... but without DNA there really is no way to be sure.""

DIRTY PIMP-DADDY PEREGRINE !    

Actually it made headlines when it happened (I think) in Detroit - I think I might still have a hardcopy of the article, if I do I'll try to remember to post it here - it was neat 

[The Friesens]

Thank you for the response. Animals are so interesting sometimes I wish I could read their minds.. then again maybe not

[Loriann]

""On the flip side, there have been a very (very) few rare cases of a male supplying food to two nearby incubating females and it has been assumed that the offspring from both nests were his ... but without DNA there really is no way to be sure.""

DIRTY PIMP-DADDY PEREGRINE !   

[msdolittle]

On the flip side, there have been a very (very) few rare cases of a male supplying food to two nearby incubating females and it has been assumed that the offspring from both nests were his ... but without DNA there really is no way to be sure. 

Paligamy in the perigrine world

[The Peregrine Chick]

They say that geese have one partner for life, do peregrines also somehow I doubt that with all the confusion of whether it was princess or not.

For life means so long as their mate returns - if a female goose lives to be six years old but her mate only lives to be three, she will find another one.  Peregrines are pretty much "lifers" as well.  Males/females who thought they lost their mates will abandon new ones when old ones reappear.  Territorial battles where the resident loses its usually because the loser is injured and/or dies.  If their mate doesn't return, they do however find a replacement, sometimes more quickly than others.  When the original Radisson female died, Madame replaced her immediately because she overwintered here and was here when the resident male returned.  In Brandon, Holly was paired with Zeus for a number of years - when he didn't appear a couple of years ago, she waited then paired up with Screech and successfully raised a 3-4 young.  The following year Zeus reappeared and Holly immediately returned to him.  Last year Princess wouldn't mate with a male that appeared at the Radisson shortly after she did.  She rebuffed his advances and waited for Trey who turned up a few days later.

On the flip side, there have been a very (very) few rare cases of a male supplying food to two nearby incubating females and it has been assumed that the offspring from both nests were his ... but without DNA there really is no way to be sure. 

[The Friesens]

Tracey,

They say that geese have one partner for life, do peregrines also somehow I doubt that with all the confusion of whether it was princess or not.