FALCON CAM: And Then... There Was One - Final Chick Remains in N

I checked in on the Minnesota DNR FalconCam this morning, and our little falcon family is getting smaller.

Only one chick remains in the nest box, and after watching for a while, I’m not convinced this youngster is quite ready to leave home just yet.

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE

The first of the three peregrine falcon chicks fledged at 7:22 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7th. The second chick followed on Thursday, July 9th. Now, all eyes are on the final chick, who the Minnesota DNR says will likely fledge by July 18th.

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WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE NEST

I spent some time watching the FalconCam this morning, and Mom is still coming back often to check on her last chick and bring food. I have to admit, there is something pretty sweet about watching the two of them together now that the nest is so much quieter. The mom went to the back corner for a bit, and the chick walked right over to her and started pecking at her tail feathers.

Minnesota DNR Falcon Cam Caught A Peregrine Chick’s First Flight Live

A BUSY LITTLE BIRD

The remaining chick was definitely busy this morning.

I watched as it tested its wings, flapping and stretching as if it were trying to figure out exactly what those big wings can do. Then, after all that hard work, it would run back inside the nest box, find a corner and get back to the important business of pulling more of that fluffy baby down off itself.

GROWING UP FAST IS HARD WORK ON A CHICK

I have a feeling we may still have a few more days before this final chick takes that big leap. Of course, peregrine falcons don't exactly check my schedule before deciding when they are ready to fly, so it could happen at any time.

A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR

This has already been quite a successful season for the Minnesota DNR FalconCam Fam.

The peregrine pair laid five eggs this spring, the first five-egg clutch recorded at this nest box since it was established in 1987. Three of those eggs eventually hatched, giving FalconCam viewers three rapidly growing chicks to watch throughout June and July.

The chicks were banded on June 23 by the Midwest Peregrine Society with Minnesota DNR staff in attendance.

Two were identified as males, while the third was between the typical weights for a male and female, meaning it could be either a small female or a large male. All three received health checks and were reported to be healthy.

THE PARENTS

The parents have an interesting Minnesota connection, too. The male is a four-year-old peregrine falcon that fledged from Minneapolis City Hall in 2022.

The female, Acadia, is 13 years old and fledged from the St. Cloud Correctional Facility in 2013. This is her 11th breeding season at the nest box in downtown St. Paul, and since she's from central Minnesota, we claim her as our own.