Peregrine Falcon's

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For Release: IMMEDIATE Contact: Stephen W. Litwhiler
Friday, June 20, 2008 (315) 785-2252

PEREGRINE FALCON NEST DISCOVERED IN UTICA

A peregrine falcon nest site has been discovered at downtown
Utica bank building, four stories above a busy thoroughfare, according
to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Region 6 Wildlife staff. Peregrine falcons are listed as an endangered
species in New York State.

For their Utica perch, the birds chose the M&T Bank Gold Dome
building, with the nest sitting approximately four stories above Genesee
Street. DEC staff, working in the State Office Building next door, have
seen peregrine falcons for over a decade, but almost always as single
birds. Evidence of feeding falcons was often found on the ground
surrounding the State Office Building, which was used as a perching and
loafing location.

In 2007, a territorial pair established itself in the downtown area.
The birds exhibited breeding and courtship behaviors, but no nest was
located. The birds stayed throughout the remainder of the year and into
the spring of 2008. With the assistance of the Kirkland Bird Club,
efforts were made to intensify observations of the pair and to identify
possible nest locations for further investigation. Occasionally, the
birds were seen perched and engaging in various courtship displays on
the M&T Bank building, but no evidence of nesting was confirmed until
June 4, when Matt Perry, Spring Farm CARES Conservation Director, viewed
video of the birds and confirmed the presence of at least one egg.

“I was thrilled to see the egg because we had concerns that a nest
would not be confirmed a second year in a row,” said Perry, who is
also a co-chairman of the Kirkland Bird Club. He said that since 2003
the club’s annual Christmas Bird Count has documented at least one
peregrine falcon.

“Club members have talked often about having nesting peregrines in
the city, and finally the birds have found what appears to be a good
location for them,” he added.

DEC wildlife manager for Region 6, Bill Gordon said,
“documenting this breeding pair and its nesting success in Utica
represents a welcome addition to the growing list of milestones noted
along the road towards recovery for this interesting and important New
York endangered species.”

M&T Bank employees are also excited to have the birds use their
building as a nest site. David Manzelmann, the bank’s Market President
for the Mohawk Valley said: “We will do everything that we can to
cooperate with DEC staff to manage the nest site. We are interested in
promoting these wonderful birds in our community. This is a great
opportunity to educate the Mohawk Valley about endangered species and
see the results of conservation efforts here locally.”

Peregrine falcons were eliminated as a nesting species in New
York by the early 1960s, due mainly to pesticide (DDE) residues in their
bird prey. The release of young captive-bred birds between 1974 and
1988 helped bring about their return as a nesting species. Peregrines
first returned to nest on two bridges in New York City in 1983. Two
years later, in 1985, they were again nesting in the Adirondacks.

The population has grown steadily since that time. In 2007,
there were over 60 pairs present statewide. New York City now has
probably the largest urban population of peregrine falcons anywhere, and
peregrines nest on every bridge on the Hudson River south of Albany.
Peregrines currently nest on buildings or bridges in Albany, Syracuse,
Rochester, Binghamton and Buffalo, with about twenty pairs present in
the Adirondacks on cliffs. This nest site in Utica fills in the gap of
cities located along the NYS Thruway corridor.

The Utica nest site will be monitored by DEC Wildlife staff and
Kirkland Bird Club volunteers to document if and when a hatch occurs.
It’s unknown exactly when the egg(s) were laid, but if the eggs hatch,
the DEC would work with M&T Bank officials to evaluate options to access
the nest site for chick banding and nest site modifications.

For more information on the Utica peregrine falcon nest contact
Wildlife Biologist Steven Heerkens at (315) 793-2557 or visit the DEC
website at http://www.dec.ny.gov .
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cbobcat49
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There's been a nest on the Statler Building in Buffalo for awhile. I'd love to see one of those in the wild sometime. If one were to consider downtown in a city "wild".
http://www.buffaloaudubon.com/falconcam.htm
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That's awesome. In my next life :lol:, I want to get into raptor rehab. I've considered it many times, but between apprenticing, the time involved and the cost...maybe when I win the lotto. Oh wait, you have to play to win don't you?
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Matt
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Isn't there a place near you where you can volunteer to at least get your fix?
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Brenda
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There is/was a rehab in Ithaca, but the sense that I've gotten from other rehabers in the past is that so many people want to work with birds that they can't be bothered with people who aren't REALLY serious and dedicated to doing it and following through with the exam, etc. I don't believe that we have any large centers nearby where there would be a need for any and all volunteers, and even then if you're not looking to apprentice you'd likely only be allowed to clean cages.
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