News, video, and more about Utica's Peregrine Falcons
Update for Friday, April 5, 2024
The Falcons were tight on the eggs all day today. Their incubation switches were very businesslike and quick and, for the most part, neither protested when it came time to yield to the other. We observed no other breeding behavior or food exchanges, just Astrid and Ares putting up with the cold and blustery weather.
Update for Thursday, April 4, 2024
We didn’t really record any breeding behavior other than incubation, which some consider interesting in its own right. The Falcons did their first switch at 5:18 AM when Ares got a shift on the eggs. Their last switch of the day occurred at around 5:00 PM when Astrid took over on the nest.
Update for Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Today, Astrid and Ares continued their routine of sharing incubation duties. They were both quite pushy with each other – shoving each other off the eggs when they wanted their turn. During the last changeover of the day, when Astrid came to the crossperch to request her turn, she first asked to mate. Ares got off the nest and obliged and then she quickly took over on the eggs. One might wonder if this was a calculated maneuver on Astrid’s part to momentarily distract Ares and secure her turn with the clutch. The possibility certainly lingers.
Update for Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Tuesday was a fairly typical day for the falcons during the early incubation period. Astrid and Ares seamlessly alternated their duties throughout the morning and afternoon. They must have read yesterday’s update because today both were extra polite when requesting the other for a turn on the eggs. Neither shoved the other off the clutch. Instead, the falcon asking to take over remained on the crossperch and simply flew away when their counterpart did not stir. At one point in midafternoon, Ares got on the eggs and remained there for four hours. Astrid came to the nest two or three times to relieve him, but he held his place. She allowed him to have a nice long sit. She finally came in and he was ready to go at 7:30 PM. If Astrid was to lay a fifth egg, it would have happened today, and that didn’t happen. Of course, we were not surprised. In the previous 10 breeding seasons Astrid laid 4 eggs only. Indeed, she is a four-egg kind of falcon.
Update for Monday, April 1, 2024
Throughout the years, we’ve observed an intriguing behavioral interplay between Astrid and Ares. Sometimes, when either bird comes to the box with the intention to take over incubation duty from their partner, they are rebuffed. When one of them is settled-in and incubating the eggs, they sometimes exhibit a reluctance to relinquish the nest. Initially, Astrid had no qualms about ousting Ares. Whenever she wanted a turn, she would assertively displace him without much ado. However, in recent years, Astrid has adopted a gentler approach towards displacing her partner. Now, she spends time beside him, engaging in beak swiping before delicately nudging him out. As a last resort, she may lightly step on his wing or tail feathers – that is, if gentle persuasion fails. Conversely, Ares has undergone a remarkable transformation in his behavior. He has grown more audacious and now mirrors Astrid’s old methods when ousting her, sometimes lacking the gentleness. Nevertheless, if Astrid is resolute about staying put, she communicates her intent with a determined gaze, prompting Ares to acquiesce and depart.
