The male fledgling has been on the wing for seven weeks and the last-fledged female for six. They're still hanging around downtown. Almost every day, we have a report of one or more. We have not been able to confirm that all four are still with us, though we have seen three together as recently as July 24. We've confirmed the male and the first female to fledge, because an observer was able to read their VID bands this week.
The fledglings are still very social. Often they're seen perched in close proximity or paired off in mock aerial combat round and round the downtown skyscrapers. This is typical of fledgling peregrines, while adults, in contrast, are solitary and asocial, except with their mates. Many peregrine experts believe that the socializing that peregrines do as nestlings and as fledglings is what allows them to form pair bonds as adults. Some speculate that the quality of nestling life (food, parental attention, number of siblings) may determine the type of pair bond that they form as adults. Some pairs are closely bonded, while others seem to associate with each other only just enough to be able to reproduce.
Stewart and Bell appear to have a strong pair bond. They are resident birds and are seen together throughout the non-breeding season. They have been observed copulating in every month of the year.
July 28, 2000
July 21, 2000
21 June
As our first fledgling, the male, approaches two weeks on the wing, here's a recap of when they took flight. The male fledged on 6/10, the first female followed on 6/13, the second on 6/14, and the third (the eyas that was slow to develop) on 6/17. At this point, there's quite a difference between the aerial skills of the male and the last female to fledge; this is normal.
Early this week, someone saw Bell drop prey to a fledgling who caught it in mid-air. This type of catch shows that the fledgling has developed some skill in using its feet; in the not too distant future, it will catch live prey with its feet. They also try to grab insects and pieces of fluff that drift through the air.
During another type of prey transfer, an adult carries prey and a fledgling flies to the adult, turns upside down under the adult, and takes the prey. If the adult isn't quite ready to relinquish the prey, it may fly for a few seconds carrying both the prey and an upside down, flapping fledgling!
The youngsters continue to hang out together while they're perched. They preen each other and snuggle up to each other for naps, just as they did when they were nestlings. Thought they'll eventually see each other as competition for food, right now they're still very much siblings and playmates.
Early this week, someone saw Bell drop prey to a fledgling who caught it in mid-air. This type of catch shows that the fledgling has developed some skill in using its feet; in the not too distant future, it will catch live prey with its feet. They also try to grab insects and pieces of fluff that drift through the air.
During another type of prey transfer, an adult carries prey and a fledgling flies to the adult, turns upside down under the adult, and takes the prey. If the adult isn't quite ready to relinquish the prey, it may fly for a few seconds carrying both the prey and an upside down, flapping fledgling!
The youngsters continue to hang out together while they're perched. They preen each other and snuggle up to each other for naps, just as they did when they were nestlings. Thought they'll eventually see each other as competition for food, right now they're still very much siblings and playmates.
July 13, 2000
13 July
This has been a week full of activity, with lots of reports of fledglings chasing each other through the canyons of downtown Seattle. One day, there was almost continuous activity for four hours, near their home cliff. They chase and dive at each other, flip over and present talons, swoop and dip, glide wingtip to wingtip, and dive in tandem.
Mock combat is typical of fledglings, but combat that is playful now will be the real thing, later in their lives. The aerial maneuvers they learn are essential for them after they're on their own. Soon they won't have their parents to protect them, and other birds, including other peregrines, will chase them with deadly intent, so it's critical that they know how to evade pursuit. As they continue to mature, they will fight over food, territories, and mates, and the flight skills they learn in play now will become survival skills for adult life.
We have not seen all four fledglings together in over a week, but this is to be expected, as they've been on the wing for four to five weeks and are more independent and ranging further from home. This week, an observer was able to read the VID bands on two females who were in a tug-of-war over prey remains outside her office window. This was welcome news, because these were the two females that got into trouble early in their flying days.
Mock combat is typical of fledglings, but combat that is playful now will be the real thing, later in their lives. The aerial maneuvers they learn are essential for them after they're on their own. Soon they won't have their parents to protect them, and other birds, including other peregrines, will chase them with deadly intent, so it's critical that they know how to evade pursuit. As they continue to mature, they will fight over food, territories, and mates, and the flight skills they learn in play now will become survival skills for adult life.
We have not seen all four fledglings together in over a week, but this is to be expected, as they've been on the wing for four to five weeks and are more independent and ranging further from home. This week, an observer was able to read the VID bands on two females who were in a tug-of-war over prey remains outside her office window. This was welcome news, because these were the two females that got into trouble early in their flying days.
July 6, 2000
6 July
Four fledglings continue to stay close to home and close to each other, but their flights are ranging further afield. We can hear the raucous sounds of food-begging over the roar of city noise, look up, and see one or more youngsters flapping overhead. They've spotted an adult, and they'll loudly demand food, whether the adult has prey or not.
Food-begging is a behavior that continues into adult life, under certain circumstances. Adult females beg from their mates during courtship and the nesting season. Adult males sometimes food-beg from their mates in the winter, when she's got food, and he wants her to share; we see this with Stewart and Bell every winter. Sometimes a peregrine will use food-begging vocalizations to appease another peregrine that is pursuing it; we occasionally hear this when an adult is chasing an unrelated juvenile.
The male fledgling has been on the wing for almost four weeks, and the first fledged female only slightly less. Soon they should make their first kills, and there are many, many young pigeons flapping around downtown Seattle as potential victims. The first kill does not instantly transform them into independent youngsters, though; they will still depend on their parents during a gradual transition. The first kill is, however, a big step toward independence.
Food-begging is a behavior that continues into adult life, under certain circumstances. Adult females beg from their mates during courtship and the nesting season. Adult males sometimes food-beg from their mates in the winter, when she's got food, and he wants her to share; we see this with Stewart and Bell every winter. Sometimes a peregrine will use food-begging vocalizations to appease another peregrine that is pursuing it; we occasionally hear this when an adult is chasing an unrelated juvenile.
The male fledgling has been on the wing for almost four weeks, and the first fledged female only slightly less. Soon they should make their first kills, and there are many, many young pigeons flapping around downtown Seattle as potential victims. The first kill does not instantly transform them into independent youngsters, though; they will still depend on their parents during a gradual transition. The first kill is, however, a big step toward independence.
July 1, 2000
1 July
Another of our young females got into trouble one evening last weekend; she bounced into a wall and slid down to street level. Fortunately, someone in an adjoining building saw the mishap and called a local wildlife care center to rescue her. She was released yesterday and flew strongly as she swooped to a perch on a building favored by the fledglings. This was the female that was the last to fledge. This bird that was so tiny at the time of banding and stayed downy so long is certainly big now. She may be the biggest of the three females.
Throughout the week, the other fledglings continued to use some of the lower buildings near their home cliff as bases for their explorations of downtown Seattle. Occupants of at least one of these buildings had an up close and personal view of the dining habits of young peregrines for several days, when the adults chose their balcony as a place to deliver meals to their hungry offspring.
By the end of the week, the adults appeared to be avoiding their brood other than when delivering prey. No doubt this reflects the fledglings' increasing proficiency in chasing their parents whenever they see them.
Throughout the week, the other fledglings continued to use some of the lower buildings near their home cliff as bases for their explorations of downtown Seattle. Occupants of at least one of these buildings had an up close and personal view of the dining habits of young peregrines for several days, when the adults chose their balcony as a place to deliver meals to their hungry offspring.
By the end of the week, the adults appeared to be avoiding their brood other than when delivering prey. No doubt this reflects the fledglings' increasing proficiency in chasing their parents whenever they see them.
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