News, video, and more about Utica's Peregrine Falcons
Monday morning early mating
Second morning mating
Ares brings Astrid a food tribute and she eats it at the hotel.
Ares knocks Astrid off her steeple perch when he attempts to fly in for mating.
Ares brings Astrid a late afternoon food tribute
Early morning failed mating and a good mating
Ares brings Astrid a food tribute – he often does this after they mate.
Astrid and Ares make a later afternoon visit to the box and share a final mating for the day.
Astrid arrived at the box just before 5 am this morning. Her and Ares commenced their active day with an aborted mating attempt, followed by 2 successful matings. Astrid stayed at the box and soon Ares flew by with food. He took his prize to the hotel and she flew over to the hotel after giving some donkey calls.
They mated two more times and then shared a nice long dance at the box.
Ares brings Astrid a food tribute
Astrid and Ares mate on the perch
Ares brings Astrid a food tribute
Ares brings Astrid a food tribute. Astrid gets so excited that she falls through the opening between the box and the perch. She recovers perfectly and comes back to tug the tribute away from Ares.
Food tributes and flight displays are part of the annual mating rituals of peregrine falcons. Ares is good at bringing food tributes to Astrid but he always seems reluctant to let her take the food he is offering.