22-05-2025
DEP bands falcons living on Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM)– The Pennsylvania Game Commission banded the Peregrine falcons living in a nest on the 15th floor of the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg on Thursday.
The event, which was live-streamed on the Department of Environmental Protection's Facebook page, took place at 10 a.m. The DEP said Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Specialist with the Game Commission, led the team in bringing the nestlings in from the ledge and putting metal names around their legs for identification.
The DEP added that each bird was weighed and had their health inspected.
'For over two decades, peregrine falcons have nested on the Rachel Carson State Office Building in downtown Harrisburg – the longest active nest site in Pennsylvania,' said DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. 'It's fitting that so many falcons have been born and raised on the building that bears Rachel Carson's name.'
The DEP says that banding falcons helps wildlife biologists track the birds.
They added that the birds will begin to learn to fly in the coming weeks, and members from the Falcon Watch and Rescue will be able to monitor and recover them as they land.
Individuals interested in volunteering for Falcon Watch and Rescue can contact Sue Hannon at hbgfalconwatch@
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