At least five pairs of peregrine falcons — those sleek, dive-bombing birds of prey — have started nesting in northwest Ohio, including at three sites in the Toledo area alone.
Statewide there are peregrine pairs at up to 38 sites and eggs already are being incubated at three of them — at Cleveland, Ironton, and Lakewood, the Ohio Division of Wildlife said. By April, most of the state's adult breeding peregrine falcons will have paired with a mate and selected a nesting site.
The Toledo area nests are atop the Commodore Perry building downtown, site of the state's first recorded nest 1988, in the bell tower at the University of Toledo, and at Bay Shore Power Plant. Other nests are at the Wood County Courthouse in Bowling Green and the Bank One building in Lima.
The new Wood County birds apparently have not yet be captured and tagged with identifying leg bands. They showed up last October and stayed the winter. Wildlife biologists are planning to secure an artificial nesting box atop the courthouse to a help protect the pair, according to Scott Butterworth, wildlife management supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2.
Internet users can follow the progress of several peregrine nests at the division's peregrine Web page at wildohio.com. As the nesting season progresses, key events such as egg laying, hatching, and fledging will be noted on the Web page for each nest.
Because of successful restoration activities in Ohio and across the nation, the peregrine falcon was removed from the federal endangered species list in 1999, and in Ohio it was down-listed from endangered to state-threatened in 2008.
Along with several other Midwestern states, Ohio began reintroducing the birds in 1989. Several pairs were released in major cities between 1989 and 1992. Last year, 34 nesting pairs of peregrine falcons are estimated to have successfully hatched and fledged 67 young.
Federal funds for the peregrine falcon project and other wildlife diversity efforts of the wildlife division are provided through the state wildlife grant program, which targets species with greatest conservation need.
The division's peregrine management program has been supported by the sale of cardinal license plates and the Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp, and contributions to the state wildlife diversity and endangered species check-off fund.
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