Young Falcons Spreading Their Wings Over Iowa
Posted: 06/26/2012

Newly fledging peregrine falcons are wowing wildlife watchers across the state as the 32 young are learning aerial combat and developing flight skills under the watchful eye of their parents.

Adult falcons will continue defending and feeding their young during this learning stage until self sufficiency is achieved in a few weeks.

In 2012, there are 15 territories, 11 known successful nesting pairs that produced the 32 young.  There are three nesting pairs on bridges and it is not known the status of those nests.

Iowa’s first successful nesting pairs were at the U.S. Bank in Cedar Rapids and the American Enterprise (formerly American Republic) building in Des Moines in 1993.