Blog
#bioPGH Blog: Peregrine Falcons
A resource of Biophilia: Pittsburgh, #bioPGH is a weekly blog and social media series that aims to encourage both children and adults to reconnect with nature and enjoy what each of our distinctive seasons has to offer. From the best times to plant seasonal flora and enjoy their peak blooms, to astronomical events and creatures to keep an eye and ear out for, Phipps will keep you in the know with what’s going on in our environment!
Pittsburgh is known for many things including our sports teams, ketchup and also birds of prey. One species in particular, the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), has called the high-rises of the city home since 1991 thanks to the establishment of the Peregrine Falcon Program. Peregrine falcons are fast flying, predatory birds that reside in tall structures such as cliffs, power pylons and skyscrapers; and are known for their agility and dramatic aerial dives called “stoops” to catch other birds right out of mid-air. These masked raptors have nested in Downtown Pittsburgh’s Gulf Tower since 1991 and have called the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning in Oakland home since 2002 thanks to the installment of custom-made nest boxes through partnerships between the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and building management teams. This time of year is a great opportunity to view the peregrine falcons as it’s the beginning of peregrine falcon mating season! If you’re passing through Downtown or Oakland on your way to work, class or just out for a stroll, keep your eyes on the sky when you’re approaching the bird’s nesting sites and you just might catch a glimpse of the peregrines engaging in courtship flight. If you don’t happen to spot any activity in the air, you can also catch the peregrines as they perform another part of their courtship at their nesting site, known as ledge displays, via one of the many live nest webcams courtesy of PixController, Inc. We’re very lucky here in Pittsburgh to reside in such close quarters with these birds and to have intimate access to their lives as these birds were almost completely eradicated from eastern North America in the mid-20th century due to pesticide poisoning!
Connecting to the Outdoors Tip: Consider taking a day-trip Downtown or into Oakland to see if you can spot these agile avians and other city residing fauna. If you’d like to increase your odds of catching a glimpse of some birds of prey, pop over to the National Aviary on the North Shore where you can get an up close look at one of several different native and exotic bird species. But, if you’re planning on simply enjoying a day in at home, you can also check out what the peregrines are up to via the Gulf Tower Peregrine Nest Cam or Pitt Peregrine Nest Cam. Did you know peregrine falcons are one of several different species of birds of prey, each of which have their own special features and hunting strategies? If you have little ones, get them excited about ornithology by having them investigate different avian foraging strategies, and try to have them figure out what is so unique about each type of bird beak that helps the birds obtain their food!
Continue the Conversation: Share your nature discoveries with our community by posting to Twitter and Instagram with hashtag #bioPGH, and R.S.V.P. to attend our next Biophilia: Pittsburgh meeting.
Additional Resources:
Peregrine Falcon - The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Peregrine Falcon Program - The National Aviary
History of Peregrine Falcon Nests near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Outside My Window
PixController.com Live Wildlife WebCam
Gulf Tower Peregrine Falcon Nest Cam - National Aviary
Pitt Peregrine Falcon Nest Cam - National Aviary
Bird Beaks - Kristen's Kindergarten
