Grand Rapids
Very sad news about the GVSU nesting pair
It is with a heavy heart that I report the loss of Majestic, blk 29/blue M, today, February 20. Wildlife Rehab Center, our local rehabbers, picked her up this afternoon (I’m not sure from where) after she possibly hit a window. They were able to give her pain meds and make her comfortable, but in spite of their best efforts, she didn’t make it. Her body may be turned over to the DNR for a necropsy, if they want to determine her cause of death.
Majestic showed up in Grand Rapids in the early spring of 2017 as a 2 yr old and laid eggs with a mate both in 2017 and 2018. The pair raised two chicks to fledging both years, with one believed lost in 2017. There have been no reports of the other fledglings since they left the vicinity of the nest box.
The traditional view is that peregrines mate for life, but in my years of following nesting peregrines, I think their loyalty is more to the nest location than to an individual falcon mate. There are lots of examples of a remaining adult peregrine taking a new mate when a previous mate is killed or fails to return from migrating. We are early in the breeding season for 2019, so there is a chance that another female will be accepted by the GVSU male in time to lay eggs this year. We may even see a whole new pair take over.
So, we again start the process of trying to identify any falcons seen in, or around, the nest box on the Eberhard Center. Nest cam watchers have seen a falcon visiting the box several times that I know of, but no one has reported reading leg bands. I’d also like to hear about falcons seen around the Kent County Courthouse, so we can determine if they are nesting there again this year.
Thanks to all who have provided me reports over the winter!
A new unbanded female is already in the nest as of February 22
I just tuned into the GVSU nest cam and I’ve seen TWO falcons in the nest box. From what I could see of his bands, the falcon spending the most time in the box seems to be our male from last year working on the depression for the eggs. The only other falcon that would be allowed in the nest box without an immediate battle would be a female. It will take more observations to determine for sure that the new female has been accepted as a mate, but the prep of the nest box is a very good sign.
She just showed up again to give her opinion on the nest prep, and unfortunately, she is not banded. That makes it possible that this is the female from the courthouse pair. Only time will tell!
The appearance of another female so soon after Majestic’s passing raises the possibility that Majestic’s injuries were not due to a window strike, but due to a fight with this unknown female peregrine. In general, when an unknown peregrine shows up in an occupied territory, it is the falcon of the same gender that defends the territory. This is not the first time that I’ve heard of a female being critically injured by another female that then took over the nest with the surviving male.
Information on Majestic's rescue
Bill Lucksted (GVSU Facilities falcon contact person) was notified mid-afternoon on Wednesday that a peregrine had been on the ground since about 9 am. The location was outside a corner of the Engineering building that’s attached to the Eberhard Center and the peregrine was right outside a large wall of windows where employees had been watching it all day. Bill asked for help from Elaine Fleming, an experienced falcon watcher. According to Elaine, Majestic had no visible injuries, but her location made a window strike a reasonable guess.
The two of them tried to contact the Wildlife Rehab Center, but the Center wouldn’t open for intake until 5pm. So, they put Majestic in a box for transport. Elaine was on the way to the Center to wait until 5pm, when she got a message from Allison, who is one of the Center’s licensed rehabbers. Allison asked for the falcon to be brought to her house, and she would then take Majestic to the Center, which she did. I’m sure the Wildlife Rehab Center’s staff did all they could, but Majestic’s condition was too poor.
The peregrines nesting in Grand Rapids are fortunate to have so many willing and able to help them out when needed.
It is very sad to have lost Majestic, especially at only three years old. I do wish she had been able to receive care without any delay. Perhaps she could have survived.
Majestic was born at the Madison nest in 2015, a daughter of Trudy and Melvin.
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