FalconCam chicks banded and given clean bill of health by Minnesota DNR

By KSTP

Courtesy: MN DNR. All the three Falcon Chicks are posed for a photo following banding.

The peregrine falcon chicks as seen on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) FalconCam were banded, evaluated and released back into their nest on Monday.

According to the DNR, two of the chicks are males while the other is female. Each chick received a health evaluation, which showed all three appeared to be in good health.

Courtesy: MN DNR. The female falcon chick has her mouth inspected as part of her health check.

Following their evaluation, each chick was given two bands: a United States Geological Survey identification band and a black/blue band that can be read when the birds are in the wild.

Banding is a common practice that helps researchers keep track of the birds’ movements, seeing where the bird was first tagged and where it has migrated since.

The practice of banding peregrine falcons in Minnesota began in the 1970s when the bird was still considered an endangered species.

Banding allowed researchers to track recovery efforts of the population in Minnesota, providing data about their behaviors, migration patterns, and mortality rates as researchers and conservationists worked to repopulate the species.

That information is still used today to study the peregrine falcon population in Minnesota and other states in the Midwest.

Each band number is entered into a searchable database that is managed by the Midwest Peregrine Society. The organization then compiles the information it learned from that year into a yearly report.

Following their banding and health check, a photo was snapped of all three birds before they were let back into the nest, where they can still be seen on the DNR’s FalconCam.

The DNR says viewers can expect the chicks to become more mobile and curious about their surroundings, and will venture towards the ledge of their nest box in the coming weeks.

During that same window of time, they will develop brown feathers and plumage that will resemble their parents. Fledging, the DNR says, could occur as early as the last week of June.