Harrisburg falcon nestlings receive bands from Pennsylvania Game Commission
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – A special nestling of baby peregrine falcons received their bands today.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hosted the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s (PGC) banding of the 2024 Rachel Carson State Office Building peregrine falcon nestlings on Friday. They livestreamed the event on the DEP Facebook page and PAcast.
“For more than two decades, peregrine falcons have nested on the Rachel Carson
State Office Building in downtown Harrisburg – the longest active nest site in
Pennsylvania,” said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. “It is a fitting tribute to
Rachel Carson that so many falcons have been born and raised on the building that
bears her name.”
This nesting site has been active since 2002 and a total of 87 eggs have hatched at the Rachel Carson State Office Building.
WATCH: Peregrine falcons nest, hatch atop Harrisburg office building
Endangered Bird Specialist with the PGC Patti Barber led the task of moving the nestlings from the 15th-floor ledge. Barber weighed each of them, inspected their health and placed light metal bands around their legs for identification.
In total, five nestlings were banded.
Banding assists wildlife biologists in tracking the birds and gives birdwatchers from around the world to learn more about their flight patterns and where they nest. Falcons from the ledge at the Rachel Carson State Office Building have been located all along the Atlantic Coast from Florida to Canada.
The peregrine falcon is federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife Code. They were taken off the federal Endangered Species List in 1999 and the Pennsylvania Threatened List in 2021.
Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth. Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth. Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth. Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth. Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth. Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth. Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth. Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, leads the team in bringing the peregrine falcon nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge of the Rachel Carson State Office Building. Barber weighs them, inspects their health, and puts light metal bands around their legs for identification. This year there are five nestlings that will be banded. Since 2002, a total of 87 eggs have hatched, making the Rachel Carson State Office Building nest site the longest, continuously successful nest site in the Commonwealth.
These baby falcons will start learning to fly in the upcoming weeks. Volunteers with the Falcon Watch and Rescue will monitor and recover them as they land near the building. Those interested in becoming a volunteer should email Sue Hannon at hbgfalconwatch@gmail.com.
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