Babies Are Here!

If you’ve been watching our Falcon Cam, you know that the Peregrine Falcon pair at the Ameren MO Sioux Energy Center have been sitting on four eggs.

As of Saturday the babies had begun to pip their eggshells, and by Sunday morning there were four babies.  If you watch the Falcon Cam you may see momma sitting over her clutch to keep them warm, and occasionally you will see one or more babies peek out from beneath her feathers only to be tucked back in by mom.

2014 Photo of parent bird feeding babies (photo: WBS website)

If you’re really lucky you may just catch them when one of the parents returns to the nest with a pigeon or starling and feeds them.  At this time you will see a big ball of fuzz with anywhere from one to four heads ready and waiting for a meal. 

Once the babies have been fed the parent will fly off with the remaining carcass, either to finish off any remaining morsels or to dispose of the carcass somewhere other than the nest.  Shortly after that the parent will return to the nest and gather the babies to be tucked safely under the parent’s warm body.

The Falcon Cam is a cooperative effort between The World Bird Sanctuary, Ameren Missouri, and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

WARNING!!  FALCON WATCHING CAN BE ADDICTIVE!

 

Submitted by Gay Schroer, World Bird Sanctuary Volunteer/Photographer