Four newly hatched chicks are now visible on the Minnesota DNR’s popular FalconCam. The Nongame Wildlife Program’s camera is in a nesting box in downtown St. Paul and will once again provide an intimate look at peregrine falcons raising their young.
The female of the nesting pair laid four eggs between March 31 and April 9, and all four hatched over Mother’s Day weekend. In these initial weeks, the female will be the primary parent, brooding and feeding the chicks, with the male providing support.
Watch the camera for feedings, which will provide the best looks at the chicks. Birds are the primary prey for peregrines and they will feed the chicks their catches, which could be as large as ducks. As the chicks grow, they will become more active.
"DNR webcams provide a connection to the wildlife all around us,” Nongame Wildlife Engagement Supervisor Jessica Ruthenberg said. “This window into the world of nesting birds is just one way to engage people of all ages in our mission to conserve at-risk wildlife.”
The recovery of peregrine falcons is a Minnesota success story. While still a species of special concern in Minnesota, they were once on the brink of extinction. Minnesota populations were restored with the help of falconers, the Midwest Peregrine Society and the DNR Nongame Wildlife Program. Donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund supported the restoration project and continue to benefit Minnesota’s rare and vulnerable wildlife.
More information about peregrine falcons and the effort to restore them is available on the DNR website.