BirdWatching magazine article on Falcons Clash!

[huddiecat]

Hi All,

Don't know if anyone has already seen/posted this somewhere, but yesterday we got our new "Bird Watching" magazine and the cover article is on "Falcons Clash".  It is about the Cleveland, Ohio falcons by Chad and Chris Saladin.  AWESOME photography!  There are a few other Falcon related tidbits in this issue also.

Suzanne and Don in Ithaca

[Donna]

I'm sticking this here as it already has the Ohio Peregrines in the thread.

Too early for any signs of hatching just yet at Clinic on Sunday, but caught Dipper perched next to the head of his prey (unfortunately, looked like a meadowlark head) while Ely was steadily incubating. He was repeatedly gaping, a behavior where the head is thrown back and the bird appears like he is swallowing air. Although in still shots it can look to less experienced watchers as if he’s calling, there are no sounds made during gaping and it’s actually a very different “look� than when they are vocalizing. Researchers are not sure why gaping takes place, but there are a couple theories: one is that gaping is a peregrine’s way of dislodging feathers that may get caught in the throat following preening. The other theory is that gaping equalizes the air pressure in their ears after a change in altitude or “sudden changes in barometric pressure, as when a cold front moves in� (described by Steve Sherrod in “Behavior of Fledgling Peregrines�).

 

[MAK]

   Cool now I know what to call it when they do this. I thought they were trying to adjust food in their crop when I've seen this.