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Tagging peregrine falcons in Toronto

Date: 11-Jul-08
Author: Andrew Yee

In the morning of 10 July 2008 an operation to tag three peregrine falcon chicks happened in Toronto. The event is particularly special because this is the first known peregrine falcon nest at a residential building in the city. A team comprising the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Canadian Peregrine Foundation, the management of the building and volunteers carried out the operation.

Residents at the building gathered in the lounge to watch a presentation, and later, realtime video transmission from a hidden camera that was mounted in the adjacent building.

All images courtesy: Andrew Yee
(Click on each image to see a larger version)

The purpose of the tagging is to identify the young falcons, and help monitor their movement and activities in the future. Peregrine falcon is a protected species in Ontario and the rest of Canada.

Sensing that humans were near their nest, the two agitated adult falcons circled overhead and screeched loudly long before the tagging operation began.

At 10:21 a.m. rock climber John Miller started the descent toward the nesting site.

Once John reached the site, team members lowered a bag that would be used to transport the chicks away from the nest for tagging and examination; under the watchful eyes of one of the adult falcons.

The falcons watched from all directions: perching at the edge of the roofs or on a railing of the building across the nest. Otherwise they came to the same roof where the team set up the operation.

Seeing that the chicks were about to be taken away temporarily, one of the adults made an aggressive approach to John; who in turn raised his arms in defense.

The team actually brought the three falcon chicks to the lounge to tag and examine them in front of the full room of residents and guests.

Further details and additional images are available here.

The operation ended in a little over an hour when the team returned the three chicks to the nest. After John departed the site, an adult falcon flew back to reunite with the chicks. Although happy to see them again, the adult falcon remained upset and continued to screech very loud.

Mission accomplished!

Check the Peregrine Falcon Zone website to see the latest development of the falcon family.

Related links:

• Peregrine Falcon Zone
• Canadian Peregrine Foundation
• Why Band Young Peregrine Falcons