Other Peregrine Projects > USA Peregrines
OH / Cleveland - Terminal Tower - 2009-15
Alison:
An article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer about Buckeye:
Cleveland's peregrine falcon perishes after 12 years nesting on the Terminal Tower
By James F. McCarty,The Plain Dealer
November 23, 2009, 7:00PM
Buckeye, believed to be one of the country's oldest and most prolific peregrine falcons, died last week after apparently striking a building near its urban nest on the Terminal Tower.
A woman walking at the intersection of West Third Street and Huron Avenue discovered the injured male on the sidewalk and called Harvey Webster, director of wildlife resources at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Webster said the unidentified woman managed to scoop up the bird and rush it to the museum. But Buckeye was dead by the time she arrived, said Webster, the overseer of the falcons' nesting box 12 floors above Public Square.
"He had a heck of a life and an incredible run during his 12 years on the Terminal Tower," Webster said.
Buckeye was 14 years old, having hatched in 1996 atop the Rhodes Office Tower in downtown Columbus. Officers with Ohio's Division of Natural Resources attached an identifying leg band on the chick before he left the nest. As an adult, he flew north and spent two years on the Case Western Reserve University campus before pairing up with a female, Zenith, on the downtown Cleveland skyscraper. In 2001, a second female, hatched in Pittsburgh and identified only as S/W, arrived in Cleveland and killed Zenith. She then joined Buckeye at the nest.
Between the two females, Buckeye sired 34 peregrine chicks, an amazing accomplishment for a species that was endangered for decades, Webster said. Buckeye was getting old, but he hadn't missed a beat incubating the eggs or providing food for his chicks, Webster said. Webster speculated that Buckeye's fatal collision might have come during an aerial battle with another male. The falcons can dive at up to 200 mph.
The males may have been battling for S/W's affections. The past weekend, downtown falcon watchers had observed S/W in the company of a new male. He has a leg band, but no one has been able to read its identification numbers yet. Webster said Cleveland's falcon enthusiasts aren't as willing as S/W to adopt the interloper. They had become attached to Buckeye over the years, and have been mourning, he said. Many Buckeye fans have been posting tributes on-line, and Scott Wright -- who dubbed him "Mr. B" -- downloaded dozens of photographs that he shot of the bird from close range.
To read the tributes and see the photos, visit the museum's falcon Web site at www.falconcam-cmnh.org.
Buckeye was actually born in 1996, so he was 13 years old. He was an extremely handsome tiercel, with a very expressive face.
A few photos of "Mr. B" by Scott Wright:
Scott has posted many, many beautiful photos on this thread: http://www.falconcam-cmnh.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?48017.40
Alison:
This is absolutely devastating news. I cannot believe that Buckeye, one of the most beloved of all peregrines, is gone. He will be remembered as one of the truly great tiercels: a wonderful father, an exceptional mate for SW, so protective of his family.
It would seem that there must have been a territorial battle - Buckeye was far too intelligent, and far too familiar with his surroundings, to collide with a building otherwise.
I am grateful to the woman who tried to save Buckeye. It was a kind thing for her to do.
This whole situation is just heartbreaking. I never had the privilege of seeing Buckeye in person, but I will never forget him. :'( :'(
I will post some photos of Buckeye. I'm not at home right now to access my archives.
The Peregrine Chick:
Either could certainly be the case Carly. Even during a half-hearted dog-fight* accidents can happen in a highly urbanized environment. We have found that the winds are very fluky (changeable, gusty, etc) in and around our tall buildings downtown and it would be the same where Buckeye lived I'm sure. A moment's inattention while keeping an eye on a potential rival could have been all it took. Or some male bluster while fancy-flying with a windshift could have thrown him against a building.
Perhaps after the necropsy, there will be some more information - the primary location of the injury might suggest a cause.
* I say half-hearted because I'm not sure how intense non-breeding season territorial battles are - I suspect that some are much more territorial than others depending on the individual birds involved. I have noticed that outside the breeding season here, our birds (who are distinctly territorial) are much more laid-back, vigilant, but not so quick to respond with deadly intent
carly:
There are reports of a new adult male in the area, he was seen with SW yesterday afternoon and some photos are now up on CMNH board of him from a distance with SW, he was displaying some fancy flying and SW bowing to him as he approached. Only speculation as no one saw what happened that has yet come forward but him losing his territory makes more sense to me - although it still sucks - than a falcon with his experience just accidently hitting the building.
birdcamfan:
Oh poop! There has been so many of these sad reports this year. Poor guy, probably didn't know what hit him.
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