Peregrine Hatched atop Pittsburgh's Gulf Tower in 2001 Now Makes Home on a Cliff Under Niagara Falls

Romantic Niagara Falls is the nest site of choice for a two-year-old peregrine falcon from Pittsburgh. The banded female, who raised two young with her unbanded mate this year, has recently been identified as one of the four birds that hatched at the Gulf Tower in downtown Pittsburgh in April 2001. Her mother continues to nest at the Gulf Tower and raised four young there in 2003. Her father nested at the Gulf Tower for many years and was killed this year at the age of 14 in a dispute with another peregrine.

These impressive photos of the Niagara Falls female and her 2003 brood were taken by Brandon and Eric Holden of Hamilton, Ontario, on July 5. The Holdens were able to get a close look at the female with their spotting scope, and they contacted WPC after an internet search linked her band number to the Gulf Tower. The Holdens had this to say about the Niagara Falls nest site:

"The nest site is on a shear cliff wall directly below Niagara Falls, but the exact location is unknown, which is one reason the chicks from this nest site go un-banded. The Niagara Falls nest site has been used since 1998.

Since most of the Peregrine activities here take place in the gorge directly below the falls it's an amazing place to observe the falcons as they spend a lot of time right at eye level passing quite close."

The nest site choice of this Pittsburgh-raised bird is an encouraging sign that as this once-imperiled species recovers, it will populate not only our cities but also the cliff-side nest sites in the wild that it historically occupied.

Coincidentally, a one-year-old male peregrine who also hatched at the Gulf Tower just last year has been spending time near the Holdens' hometown of Hamilton, Ontario since late April 2003. This bird was outfitted with a radio telemetry unit while still at the Gulf Tower nest site, allowing Pennsylvania Game Commission biologists and the public to track his movements. A map and log of his travels can be seen at http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/PGC/falcon/telemetry/pfPM.htm

Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has been working with the Pennsylvania Game Commission since 1991 to band peregrine falcon chicks in Pittsburgh. Information from these banded birds has contributed to our understanding of this endangered species and the success of recovery efforts. An added benefit of the banding project is the opportunity it provides for WPC to connect with people like the Holdens who live in or visit the places where Pittsburgh's falcons eventually take up residence. Thank you to our new Canadian conservation friends for sharing their excellent photographs.