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18 May

The eggs are now about two weeks old and everything appears to be progressing as expected. The male spends a considerable amount of time assisting the female with incubation during the day. With a body temperature of 104 degrees, the adults are able to keep the eggs toasty warm, even on chilly spring nights.

Some viewers are having trouble telling the male and female apart. It is indeed difficult to discern unless the birds are standing side by side. In that case, the female will be noticeably larger than the male. This characteristic is called “reverse sexual dimorphism” and applies to most birds of prey. Also, the colors of a female’s feathers are slightly duller than a male’s but that is hard to see on the webcam. Perhaps the best way to tell the difference between these two birds is by the markings on their heads. The male has more white showing on the sides, while the female’s head appears more solidly black.

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9 May

Sharp-eyed viewers have reported seeing two and, more recently, three eggs in the scrape. The incubating adults have moved away from the side wall a bit and into better view on the webcam.

We hope that all the eggs are viable and will produce chicks but we won’t know for sure until hatching begins, which is about three weeks away. In 2009, one of the four eggs did not hatch.

Assuming all is well, the embryos are quickly developing under the warm bodies of their parents. Blood vessels are beginning to form the foundation of the chick’s circulatory and nervous systems. From time to time, the adults will stand up and rotate the eggs to be sure they are warmed evenly and thoroughly. Rotation also prevents the embryo from sticking to the egg’s inner membrane, which could present a problem during hatching.

An egg is an amazing creation. It is both fragile enough for a tiny chick to peck out of, yet strong enough to withstand the weight of an incubating adult. That wasn’t always true. In the 1960s, scientists discovered that the pesticide DDT caused physiological problems in female Peregrine Falcons, resulting in thin-shelled eggs that broke during incubation. DDT was banned in 1972 and The Peregrine Fund helped recover this once-endangered species – one of the most successful conservation efforts in history.

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30 April

Finally, our long wait is over! Based on their behavior since late last week, the pair has produced one or more eggs. We can’t be sure how many eggs because the female laid them in the scrape located in the one small portion of the nest box that cannot be seen entirely on the webcam.

In past years, the birds have produced four eggs, which is typical for Peregrine Falcons. Both of the adults will share incubation duties, with female on the eggs at night and the male assisting during the day. Occasionally, the eggs may be left alone for short periods, but one of the birds will always be nearby keeping a close watch over them.

They will incubate the eggs for about a month.

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23 April

We know from emails and phone calls that many viewers are worried. Will this pair produce eggs? It is impossible to say with certainty, as these are wild birds and they are on their own schedule. However, the good news is that they are exhibiting all the behaviors of a normal nesting pair, so we remain hopeful that eggs will arrive.

In Idaho, Peregrine Falcons have been observed producing eggs in May. The female may be young, which also could be a factor.

Both birds have worked on the scrape, the depression in the gravel where eggs would be laid. Because it is under the camera and partially out of view, some have worried that eggs could be present but unseen. This is unlikely. Fiberpipe, the company generously donating the broadcasting and technical infrastructure, says that very little of the box interior is out of camera view. At no time will anyone go up to the box to peek inside -- human activity would be highly disturbing and disruptive to the birds at this sensitive time.

Keep watching!

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4 April

Viewers have been treated to sporadic but increasingly frequent visits by the falcons to the nest box in the last two weeks. A male and female have engaged in a variety of courtship behaviors, including

• Spectacular aerial displays
• Loud calls and quiet “e-chups” to each other
• Bowing their heads to each other
• Food exchanges

They also have worked occasionally on a scrape, the shallow depression in the gravel where eggs would be laid.

Last year, the first egg was laid on April 7. It is hard to say when, or even if, this pair will produce eggs. We continue to wait and hope.

Many are wondering: Is this the same pair as last year? They are wild falcons, and we do not take any steps to determine their identity from year to year. For the same reason, we do not give them names.

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21 March 2012

Welcome to the 2012 falconcam season!

This is the fourth year a webcam has monitored the nest box in downtown Boise. Peregrines have been seen in and around the nest box, so we hope they will settle in soon.

We will keep you informed about what is happening at the nest on this page, so please check back regularly. You also can receive Falconcam Updates by email at my.peregrinefund.org. If you haven’t yet registered, simply create your own login and password and check the box for Falconcam Update.

Thank you for your support of our webcam project and your interest in these fascinating birds!

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Where are the nest and webcam located?

The camera is attached to a nest box on the 14th floor of the One Capital Center Building, 10th and Main streets, in downtown Boise. The box is on a ledge on the northwest corner of the building. The webcam may be viewed on a television monitor in the lobby.

What happened at this nest last year?

Here are some significant dates from the 2011 season:

• April 7: First egg in the nest
• April 14: Fourth egg in the nest
• May 16: Hatching begins
• May 17: Fourth egg hatches
• June 5: Chicks are banded
• June 24: First chick fledges
• August 5: Female fledging is injured and dies

Are these birds endangered?

The Peregrine Falcon was removed from the U.S. Endangered Species List in 1999. The Peregrine Fund was established in 1970 to recover the species by producing young birds in captivity and releasing them to the wild. The population of the species continues to be monitored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and individual states.

How did the falcons become endangered?

The population had been decimated by DDT, a pesticide that thinned the eggshells of many types of birds of prey, including the Bald Eagle. The use of DDT was banned in the United States in 1972.

How are they doing in Idaho?

In 2009, The Idaho Department of Fish and Game removed the Peregrine Falcon from the state endangered species list on the 10th anniversary of the federal delisting. Like all birds of prey, the Peregrine Falcon remains fully protected by state and federal law.

When did recovery begin in the state?

Peregrine Falcons were essentially gone from Idaho by 1974. Starting in 1982, captive-bred falcons were released to 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, there are about two dozen breeding pairs scattered around the state.

Nest:

Falcons do not build nests. Eggs are laid and incubated in a “scrape,” which the falcons build by pushing the gravel out behind them with their legs.

Courtship:

The birds “bow” to each other by leaning forward with their heads low and their tails held high. They make an “ee-chupping” sound. Both the male and female bow and vocalize over the scrape and may touch bills. The male offers food to the female, which takes it from his talons or beak, often accompanied by ee-chups or loud vocalizations.

Pairs:

Peregrine Falcons generally keep the same mate from year to year, but if one dies, the surviving bird will seek another.

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.

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