Other Peregrine Projects > Canadian Peregrines
QC / Montréal - l'Université de Montréal - 2009-19
Alison:
2010 NESTING SEASON
Polly, the female juvie born last year, is still at the nest with her parents. I'm not sure whether she is able to manage better with her injury at this stage.
The nest box has been cleaned out, and new gravel provided. Two new webcams have been installed, which should provide good views of Spirit, Roger and their family this year. After all this work a gift of quail was left for the falcons, to entice them to come and see the new modifications. The cams are not live yet, but it should not be too long.
Photos by Eve Bélisle.
Roger and Polly:
Roger:
Polly at the nest:
Alison:
Thank you for your thoughts on this, TPC. I am still hoping that Polly's leg may heal completely with time. I also remember Gahastey, one of Mariah and Kaver's daughters in 2004, when she was just a juvie. Later that summer she too sustained a serious leg injury -- the leg was just dangling when she was in flight -- but she made a complete recovery. She moved to Ontario; sadly, she was killed in October of the following year in a collision with a jet at Niagara Air Force Base.
And I always think of the remarkable Dundas, born in Hamilton in 2004, who lost a leg when he was only a few months old. He survived and became an extremely skilled hunter, and had two different mates. He had so much courage.
carly:
I hope she does. Thanks for your words of encouragement. Coming from you given all your knowledge and experience - I can be hopeful her chances of survival!
The Peregrine Chick:
Polly may do quite well despite her disability. Since she has lasted this long hunting for herself she may have figured out what she can and can't do. The first year is the toughest bar none, and she is only a few months to making it past year one!
For hunting, she needs to be able to fly more than use her feet. So long as she can kill and subsequently get to her prey, she could do well. She may never be able to catch and carry heavy items, but she there are lots of smaller birds she can catch and carry. There are lots of larger birds she can catch, kill, eat on sight, or dismember into small pieces if she needs to transport/cache. More work, but it sounds like she's adapting well. Or she might have the strength, just not the dexterity in that foot, in which case she will simply compensate with the other one.
Of more interest is her ability to breed. She needs to be able to support herself and her mate during copulation, tends to be a quick act but they are rather, umm, "busy" in the spring so it may be a question of endurance for her.
As for leaving, she may decide not to ... she knows where she is and can hunt her safely/effectively and that may be enough to keep her there. Other birds stay to defend territories year-round, other young birds (think New York City) and there is no identifiable reason why they decide to hang around. And there will be plenty of food for her year-round in Montreal if she stays.
carly:
Wow...I hope Polly makes it and I'm glad the parents are tolerating her presence.
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