SOUTH BEND -- Two peregrine falcon eggs hatched this week atop County-City Building, and a third could be on its way.
The adult pair of falcons that live downtown had four eggs this year in their nesting box on the 14-story building.
Carol Riewe, a local naturalist and raptor rehabilitator who follows the birds, said one chick hatched Thursday morning and another hatched this morning.
A third egg was damaged, she said, and they're still waiting to see what happens with the fourth egg.
Zephyr, the adult male falcon, lost his right foot earlier this spring in an apparent trap injury. Riewe is concerned about whether he will be able to catch enough food to support Guinevere, the adult female, and two or three chicks.
"I'd be just as comfortable if a third chick doesn't hatch," Riewe said, "because it'd be one less mouth to feed under the circumstances."
She said raptors typically cache extra food in their nests for times when prey aren't available, but Zephyr and Guinevere don't appear to have any leftovers in their nesting box.
"Obviously," Riewe said, "things have been a little tough."
Watch live images of Zephyr, Guinevere and their chicks inside the nesting box at
www.southbendin.gov/falcam.
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