- Nest: Falcons do not build nests. Eggs are laid and incubated in a "scrape," a depression in the gravel that the falcons build by pushing the gravel out behind them with their legs.
- Pairs: Peregrine falcons generally keep the same mate from year to year, but if one dies, the surviving bird will seek another mate.
- Eggs: A typical clutch is three to four eggs, which are incubated for 32 to 35 days. The parents will use their beaks to roll and shift the eggs periodically during incubation. The male assists by sitting on the eggs while the female leaves to eat. The eggs will not hatch if they are infertile or the young dies during incubation.
- Chicks: Called an eyas, a chick stays warm under its parent during the brooding period. Chicks are fed by both parents, who make sure each chick receives enough to eat. They are in the nest for six to seven weeks.
- Fledging: Chicks prepare to leave the nest by flapping their wings in the nest, then taking short test flights. For about six weeks, they continue to be fed by their parents while honing their flying and hunting skills before striking out on their own.
New Reality Show: Webcam Tracks Peregrine Falcons
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A pair of peregrine falcons is incubating four eggs in a nest box in downtown Boise, and people can now observe the new falcon family via a live streaming Web camera.
The project is a cooperative effort by The Peregrine Fund and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, with camera and Web hosting supplied by Fiberpipe.
Peregrine falcons have reared their offspring in the nest box on the 14th floor of the One Capital Center Building, 10th and Main streets since 2003.
But this is the first time the public has been able to observe their daily movements on the Internet. The camera may be viewed via The Peregrine Fund and Fiberpipe Web sites:
Monitors have been installed in the lobby at One Capital Center, courtesy of Oppenheimer Development Corp. and J.R. Simplot Co., for passers-by to observe the birds.
The nest box is on a ledge that simulates the high, steep cliffs the falcons use in the wild. The eggs were laid between April 10 and April 17. If all goes well, chicks will hatch in about a month.
Once an endangered species, the peregrine falcon was restored through the release of captive-bred young by The Peregrine Fund. The population had been decimated by DDT, a pesticide that thinned the eggshells of many types of raptors, including the bald eagle.
The peregrine falcon was removed from the endangered species list in 1999 but population numbers continue to be monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and individual states.
The peregrine falcon is still classified as threatened in Idaho and, like all birds of prey, remains fully protected by state and federal law.
Peregrine falcons were essentially gone from Idaho by 1974. Starting in 1982, captive-bred falcons were released into the wild in Idaho and nearby states.
In 1985 the raptors were again documented as a breeding species, and releases were discontinued. Eight falcons were released in downtown Boise in 1988 and 1989. Today, about three dozen breeding pairs are scattered around the state.
Peregrine falcons feed primarily on birds they catch in the air, using speed - they are the fastest animals on earth - and maneuverability to pursue their prey. The falcons have adapted to cities where the supply of pigeons and other birds is abundant.
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