2009 FalconCam
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May 12, 2009
The falcons have hatched and seem to be doing very well. At hatching last Friday, they weighed between 35 and 40 grams. Their eyes are usually closed except when food begging. Their movements are very feeble for a few days. By five days their weight has doubled and they can sit up. Their appearance as white poofballs will be changing soon, as secondary down begins to emerge. We will band these hatchlings at 11:30am Wednesday June 3 in the courtyard area of American Republic Insurance bldg. at 601 6th Ave. in Des Moines.

At other sites around the state, young have been reported at Louisa Generating Station, MidAmerican hq in Davenport, Lansing and Leo's bluffs, and at the State Capitol.

April 28, 2009
This year's nest site at American Republic Insurance bldg. is one of thirteen nesting pairs around Iowa. Other sites include the State Capitol, USBank bldg. in Cedar Rapids, cliff nest near Lansing, cliff nest near Waukon Jct., Cargill grain elevator in MacGregor, ML Kapp power plant at Clinton, I 80 bridge at Bettendorf, MidAmerican Energy bldg. downtown Davenport, I 280 bridge south of Quad Cities, Louisa Generating Plant, Great River Bridge in Burlington, and Alliant Energy Plant near Chillicothe, Iowa.

Since one of the first peregrine sites in 1993, American Republic peregrine pairs have produced 40 young. Current female is 63/B and fledged from Woodman Tower in Omaha, NE in 2004. She has produced seven young since 2007. The 19 year-old male, T93, has not been positively identified this spring. The adult female at Cedar Rapids fledged from American Republic in 1998. The male in Lincoln, NE is a 2003 fledgling from American Republic Insurance bldg. We are anticipating hatching eggs the first part of May.

Beginning in 1989 Iowa Dept of Natural Resources' Wildlife Diversity Program assisted conservation organizations and Iowa citizens in releasing 50 Peregrine Falcons at three sites: Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and Muscatine. As a result of these efforts employees of American Republic Insurance building at 606 5th Ave. have hosted nesting Peregrine Falcons, since 1992. That year male X20 (released in Cedar Rapids in 1990) and female R13 (released in Kansas City in 1991) began nesting attempts. Nesting effort failed but in 1993 current male T93 (Cedar Rapids 1990) paired with R13. Since that time male T93 has sired 37 young with three mates, R13 (26 young 'til 2003) 8T (7 young in '04 and '05) and 63B (4 young '06 and '07). Progeny from American Republic have fledged young at Cedar Rapids and Omaha from known peregrine sites.

Since those early efforts 118 additional peregrines were released to wild nesting cliff sites along the Mississippi River from 1999 - 2003. Releases were coordinated by Bob Anderson with Raptor Resource Project, and Lowell Washburn and Tom Deckert with Iowa Falcon Recovery Team. From those releases Peregrines once again are occupying wild cliff sites at twelve locations in SE Minnesota, SW Wisconsin and two cliffs in NE Iowa. (FalconCam 2008 Archived)

Help Support the Live Web Cam
FalconCam coverage comes at a higher price than previous years, at a time when budgets are tight. The Wildlife Diversity Program (WDP) gets no state general fund money and operates entirely on donations directly to the program or through donations to the Fish & Wildlife Trust Fund (the Chickadee Checkoff) on state tax forms. Unfortunately, Checkoff revenues provide less than half of what it takes to keep the WDP running.

It is hoped those who enjoy the FalconCam will come through with some direct donations to the WDP so that the service can be continued in 2008 and beyond. Your donations do make a difference. If you can, please contribute to the Wildlife Diversity Program.

Donations can be sent to:
Wildlife Diversity Program, 1436 255th Street, Boone, IA 50036
or contact Pat.Schlarbaum@dnr.iowa.gov