DES MOINES — Four peregrine falcon young will be banded today at Des Moines’ American Enterpriseiously.
Peregrine falcons have increased their presence in Iowa, with reports of 16 peregrine falcon territories in the state, an increase from 15 reported in 2010. Iowa’s first nesting occurred in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids in 1993. The American Enterprise site has produced 46 young falcons since 1993.
A second territory in Des Moines has been established at the state Capitol. Adult peregrines can be observed bringing prey items and feeding young on east side of the Capitol under the north corner of the portico above the stairs. The female is not banded but the male fledged from the American Enterprise building in 2008.
Before their demise due to DDT, peregrines nested along cliffs in Iowa. The last pair of nesting falcons was reported at Leo’s Cliff near Waukon Junction on the Mississippi River in the 1950s. Today, a peregrine pair has returned to this historic site and is nesting successfully. Cliff-nesting pairs can also be found along the Mississippi near Lansing.
Of the 15 territorial pairs in 2010, ten successful nests produced 22 young. Elsewhere in the Midwest, 193 territories had 166 nesting pairs. Of these, 411 young fledged from 148 successful nesting attempts.
Additional Iowa falcon pairs can be found at McGregor, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Davenport, Burlington, Muscatine and Chillicothe.
The McGregor pair, found at the Bunge Elevator, has successfully nested in a nest box placed at this site 13 years ago. Tentative plans are to band the young at this site on June 11. The public is again invited.
A falconcam has been established at American Enterprise site in Des Moines and may be viewed at
www.iowadnr.com/wildlife/diversity/falconcam.html. Also, a nesting pair at the MidAmerican Energy headquarters in Davenport may be viewed by going to
www.wqad.com then clicking on News, then on NewsChannel 8 Falcon Cam.
