OH / Cleveland - Terminal Tower - 2009-15

[carly]

Ranger Suffers Head Trauma in Collision with Building

Laura Jordan of the Medina Raptor Center relayed a message to the Museum that a falcon had been recovered on the sidewalk at the base of the Fifth Third Building at 600 Superior Avenue on Thursday at 9:50 AM and was being held in a box by building security. I retrieved the bird at 10:45 am. It was Ranger. He had apparently collided with the building and had collapsed on the sidewalk. No one witnessed the collision so we are unaware of why he hit the building. This is close to the territorial boundary between the Terminal Tower falcons and the Bohn Buildng falcons. So perhaps it was a territorial dispute.

Ranger was very groggy and had blood in his mouth and throat. Though able to stand and responsive to stimuli around him, he definitely was not ready to be released. I brought him back to the Museum and contacted Laura. We agreed that he needed veterinary assessment. He was transported to the Medina Raptor Center and then to Dr. Riggs. At last report (around 5:00 pm Thursday afternoon) Laura expressed deep concern over the head injury and gave a guarded prognosis. His condition had not improved over the course of the afternoon. If anything he was worse.

I will update as we learn more about his condition. We will all be keeping a close eye on SW and the three fledglings. There are numerous examples of a single Peregrine parent successfully caring for its late stage nestlings on its own. SW is clearly very experienced and should be up to the task.

[Alison]

Peregrine falcons are nesting in record numbers; half are in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- On any given day, the fastest flyers in the world perform acrobatics over downtown Cleveland, bringing business meetings to a halt, thrilling lunchtime crowds on Public Square and scattering flocks of terrorized pigeons.

Peregrine falcons, once at the top of the federal Endangered Species list, have bounced back in unprecedented numbers -- especially here in Northeast Ohio.  The region is home to half of the 26 nests with eggs or chicks spotted this spring in Ohio. And the Cleveland area boasts 10 of the nests, including one at Terminal Tower that round-the-clock web cameras beam to a worldwide audience.  What a difference three decades can make.

Before DDT was banned in 1972, pesticide poisoning drove peregrine falcons to the brink of extinction, and completely wiped them out east of the Mississippi River. Soon thereafter, captive-breeding programs using western birds helped to reestablish the species in the East.  The resilient raptors ended up thriving in some of the most improbable settings, such as Cleveland. In fact, the urban landscape proved to be an inviting nesting area, said Harvey Webster, director of wildlife resources at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and a falcon aficionado

The crevices and alcoves of skyscrapers and the walled canyons of downtown streets remind the falcons of their natural nesting environment on the mountain cliffs and ledges of the West. The city also offers an all-you-can-eat supply of pigeons and other flying food. Urban birdwatchers gaze in awe as the crow-size falcons cruise high overhead, surveying potential prey, then tucking their wings and plunging like a fighter jet at speeds up to 200 mph. When the spectacular hunters hit their targets, feathers fly and the stricken birds drop -- usually already dead. The streamlined raptors then pluck their kill in mid-air and carry them to a ledge for casual consumption.

"They are such a thrill to watch," said Webster. "They put on a show like no other."  No peregrine falcons better symbolize the species' successful urban adaptation than those that have resided on a 12th floor window ledge of the Terminal Tower. Peregrines first established residency there in 1988. Since then, three different males and three females have occupied the aerie, fledging more than 50 chicks during that time.

Naturalists from Ohio's Division of Wildlife banded three falcon chicks at the tower on Friday. And three cameras trained on the nest provide images, including the daily meal times, at http://snipurl.com/w8ogb at one-minute intervals.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/05/post_290.html

[Kinderchick]

I just love these photos, Alison! Thanks!

[Alison]

I'm so glad that all three chicks hatched for SW and Ranger!

Didn't have time to post these yesterday:

 

 

[Kinderchick]

The last egg hatched overnight, three chicks for SW and Ranger 

Woo Hoo!

[carly]

The last egg hatched overnight, three chicks for SW and Ranger 

[Eye-spy]

Many visitors to this website have been concerned about the cables that the falcons have pulled down into the nest tray. They should pose no threat to the chicks in their first three weeks.The only function of the cables is to pull up the 'drawbridge' on banding day so that the chicks stay in the nest. They will be removed at the conclusion of the banding event.

Those cables exactly resemble coax cables used for video/data.  One cable is complete with a camera connector.  I have my doubts about the "Drawbridge" theory.  

[allikat]

Love the photos of SW and Ranger with their two adorable little chicks!  I'm so happy for these two. 
I remember how nervous Ranger was......I'll have to go back and see that picture of him peeking around the corner... I can just see the caption, " is she still there, maybe I'll just take a peek, ooop, I think she saw me!"

[Kinderchick]

Two chicks have hatched now!

Great news, Alison! What a great mama, to keep her chicks and eggs so dry! Thanks for the photos, Alison!

[bcbird]

And looks like the weather has improved for the new little family!

[carly]

So nice to see two little heads here today     Thanks for the photos Alison!

[Alison]

Two chicks have hatched now!

SW:


SW, Ranger and their two chicks:
 

Ranger looks so proud:
 

[Kinderchick]

Awwww! Just look at how dry the gravel is where the chick and eggs are! What a great mama!

[bcbird]

So nice to see! 
Look how wet the gravel is all around.

[Alison]

One more pic of the tiny one: