Webcam at Montreal university

[Nic1Pic]

http://www.teambelisle.com/test/

[Dumpsterkitty]

http://www.teambelisle.com/test/

WooHoo!  Excellent!  Can't wait to follow them this year!

[Kris G.]

  Tres bien, Nicole! 

[Nic1Pic]

It is in french but sometimes Eve translate photos in english   

http://fauconsudem.blogspot.com/

[Nic1Pic]

Merci Kris   

[Donna]

Hooahh!! Thanks! bguitar

[Annette]

A new peregrines cam! 

[Nic1Pic]

The young female, Polly, born in 2009 is still with her parents. It is a weird situation. She is handicap at one leg and maybe that she has problem to hunt. She stays with her parents to steal a part of pigeon's breast or leg ! ! ! ! !
That's very surprising that her parents tolerate her and more, they seem to appreciate her presence. They fly together and play. She also helps to protect the territory against others peregrines.
Is that such behavior normal ??

Thanks for answer. Nicole

[carly]

Well I'm no expert but I thought you might be interested to know of two separate cases in the UK where parents tolerated a juvenile the following year when they nested again.  In one case they witnessed the young subadult feeding her parents new eyases while she watched on.  She helped the parents hunt and protect the nest, and was seen hanging out with the parents even after the season was over so it does happen.  But it doesn't seem to be common or maybe we just dont' know about because the cams and people usually only watching during nesting season.  

Urban nesting seems to be showing us that falcons don't always behave the way the experts said they would.  I remember reading that the parents drove the young out of the area - and yet I've seen at my own site where the parents tolerated their young for months after they should have left.  From what I've seen they leave when they are ready, our female this year stayed until the end of September and hunted daily with her mother.  I also read that a tiercel and a female would never have a territorial fight - then we saw one on the live cams in Sussex last Spring.  Everytime I read they 'shouldn't or don't do something - it seems they do the opposite!  

It will be interesting to see if anyone else has experienced what is happening at your nest site, and also to see what happens.  Obviously the fact they are still feeding her shows that perhaps they know she can't get along on her own and she's not a threat as she is their offspring.  Now whether they will feel that way when she is an adult will be interesting.

You might also be interested to know that there was a young juvenile male in Hamilton that lost one of his legs and everyone said no way he would ever survive or learn to hunt with one leg.  Not only did he survive but he was discovered at a nest site with a mate two years later.   There was also a wonderful female falcon at GRE in the US who had a bad leg, one talon was missing and her leg looked like it was turned inwards.  She successfully nested and raised young.  I remember watching her on cam and she would hop on the one bad leg so it is possible to adapt.  Maybe Polly just needs some time to learn to survive with her handicap and once she does - she may surprise everyone.  I hope she does  

[Donna]

BRAVO    Carly....great post!

[Paul Hamilton]

Cooperative breeding has been observed among peregrines fairly often, it seems..http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1642/0004-8038%282003%29120%5B0717%3AOAEOCB%5D2.0.CO%3B2?journalCode=tauk

This table from the above reference lists them as regularly breeding cooperatively, and notes that the extra, or "helper" bird is a juvenile.  Evisently, not only to the young sometimes stay with the parents for a long time, but they also help raise the next brood when they do.
 http://www.bioone.org/action/showFullPopup?doi=10.1642%2F0004-8038%282003%29120%5B0717%3AOAEOCB%5D2.0.CO%3B2&id=i0004-8038-120-3-717-t02

Paul

[carly]

Thanks for those links Paul, very interesting and encouraging in my opinion   

[valhalla]

Fascinating!  On the job training for the sub-adults and "at home" care for the parents.

[Carol P.]

Good post Carly.  I've always said that Urban Peregrine Watchers know more about the behavior of Urban Peregrines than the "experts".  

They say that only Tiercels will battle Tiercels and the Falcon (females) will fight each other.  How many times did we witness Kaver driving off a female?  Like you, we've seen many behaviors that go against what the "experts" say.

The year that Gahastey was hurt, Mariah and Kaver allowed her to land and remain on the Kodak Tower late in the season.  Havoc (male), the guardian angel of that year, tried to remain and hang out with Gahastey.  He would land on one of the RG&E smokestacks, while Gahastey was on the Kodak Tower.  

We saw Mariah attempt to chase Havoc out of the area multple times, while she seemed very content to allow Gahastey to remain.  I believe they do know when a young one needs extra help.

More about "guardian angels".  Every year, one of the young fledglings seems to take on that role, hanging out with siblings that may need extra help.  I've noticed that it's usually a Tiercel hanging out with a sister, but not always.

I find studying the behavior of these magnificent creatures fascinating.  Can't get enough of watching them.  I am not addicted!  

Nicole - Please keep us updated on what happens this year at your nest site.  It could get very interesting.

[Nic1Pic]

That's what I meant by '' expert '' Carol. You the gang of Rochester, street watchers.
Thanks for the answers.
Nicole