(Utica, NY – July 1, 2014) One of 3 Peregrine Falcon Chicks left the nest box last Thursday morning and became the first of its species ever to fledge from a nest in Utica or Oneida County. Tres, the male falcon that fledged was actually the third and last one of the clutch to hatch. This is not unusual since male Peregrines are smaller and develop faster than females. It is thought that the two remaining falcon chicks, both females, will leave the box in the coming days, but it may take up to two weeks before they fly.
During the fledging process the parent birds, Astrid and Ares, are expected to keep a close watch on their young and visit them wherever they may land. Parent falcons protect their offspring by swooping down at intruders and by giving loud shrieking calls.
That morning the fledgling’s maiden flight took him from the nest box on the 15th floor of Adirondack Bank Building to the State Office Building about a block away. Generally for young raptors, flying is not nearly as challenging as landing, and it takes practice to get it right. Volunteers with the Utica Peregrine Falcon Project (UPFP) have organized a Fledge Watch that is intended to assist in keeping track of birds as they move around the Downtown area. Since accidents are not unheard of with young falcons, the volunteers have been instructed how to deal with a falcon that might be in imminent danger or is injured. Anyone that believes they have encountered an injured falcon is encouraged to immediately contact the DEC and the UPFP. The UPFP can be contacted via the group’s Website or Facebook page. Anyone wishing to participate in the Fledge Watch can register on the website.
Astrid and Ares are the first pair of Peregrine Falcons to ever successfully raise young in the Utica area. The young were named (in order of hatching) Independence (Indi), Leda and Tres. After fledging we expect the young falcons to stay with their parents in the Downtown area for at least a month. During that time they will perfect their own hunting skills and gradually become more independent. By the end of the summer the young will depart the region and likely travel south as other migrant raptors do. The parents are expected to remain Downtown and continue to hold their territory through the winter and into the next breeding season.