It is with real regret that we must report that the adult, female peregrine falcon retrieved from the ground on March 29 was recently euthanized. Although the bird (believed to be the female, adult of the peregrine pair that has successfully nested upon the Joseph Smith Memorial Building as far back as at least 2011) made some improvement as a result of treatment for a respiratory ailment, she was rather quickly determined to be blind in one eye and, with time, suffered problems with the second eye as well. Sometime during the week of July 12, it was determined that continued treatment would be excruciatingly painful and frightening to her and the difficult decision was made by an expert rehabilitator to humanely put her down.
We'll never know to what extent her age may have contributed to her demise, but affliction of wild, healthy birds with aspergillosis not thought to be common. Maybe her age contributed to a weakened condition which allowed this fungal respiratory disease to ultimately take her life. While we're all sad about the outcome, as mere mortals, all we (who have come to love these birds) can do is look to future and the 2016 nesting season.
RIP, sweet thing. Oh how you have thrilled and captivated us through the years.
How sad for her! Fly free!
