Latest news with #NationalAviary
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Cathedral of Learning's resident young falcons officially fledge
The Cathedral of Learning's resident peregrine falcons just passed a huge milestone. Three recently banded juvenile falcons who live in a nest box atop the cathedral have officially fledged, the National Aviary said Wednesday. The young falcons are the offspring of Carla and Ecco, the stars of the National Aviary's FalconCam. Leading up to their fledge, the young falcons could be seen on the FalconCam stretching and flapping their wings as they prepared for their first flights, the aviary says. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Cathedral of Learning peregrine falcon pair welcome 2 hatchlings on same day The fledglings can now be seen flying or perching around the cathedral. They will stay in their parents' territory for up to six weeks before they leave to find their new home, the aviary says. Thanks to the juveniles' recent banding, the aviary will be able to track the fledglings' future movements and activities. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
4 days ago
- General
- CBS News
3 young peregrine falcons on Pitt's Cathedral of Learning fledge the nest
Something Good: Carla, the peregrine falcon laid her first egg of the year Something Good: Carla, the peregrine falcon laid her first egg of the year Something Good: Carla, the peregrine falcon laid her first egg of the year The three young peregrine falcons that hatched on top of Pitt's Cathedral of Learning this spring have fledged the nest. The National Aviary says the three siblings will continue to hang around the nest as they grow comfortable flying and hunting on their own. Before the juveniles fledged, viewers of the National Aviary's FalconCam could see them taking turns on the edge of the nest box, exercising their wings as they prepared for their first flights. Later this year, after they've gained all the skills they need to survive on their own, the young falcons will take off. Since the birds were recently banded by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, scientists will be able to track their next moves. "Whether they remain local or move to another bridge, cliff, or skyscraper rooftop in Pennsylvania or another nearby state, we should be able to tell where they end up, when they mate, and if they are surviving and thriving in their new homes," the National Aviary said on its website. (Photo: Mike Faix) Viewers of the FalconCam have been watching Carla and Ecco's chicks since they hatched at the end of April. While Ecco has been at the Cathedral of Learning since 2020, Carla first appeared in 2023, and the couple had their first brood last year. Those two chicks were also banded. Peregrine falcons were formerly endangered in Pennsylvania because of the use of the agricultural pesticide DDT. Banding the chicks helps scientists study the behavior of falcons while determining the current status of their populations.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
3 Cathedral of Learning peregrine falcon chicks receive bands from Pennsylvania Game Commission
Three peregrine falcon chicks from the Cathedral of Learning were banded by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. One year ago, Carla and Ecco, two peregrine falcons, were banded by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. They live at the Cathedral of Learning in Oakland and are the stars of the National Aviary's Peregrine FalconoCam. The duo had three chicks and viewers have gotten to enjoy watching them hatch and grow. In the next important step of their lives, they have been banded. The chicks received a small, lightweight band that has an ID number on it. It is placed on their leg and helps scientists study and keep track of them. The peregrine falcon is a species of particular interest to researchers because it was formerly endangered in Pennsylvania due to the use of pesticides, the National Aviary said. 'The Peregrine Falcon was removed from our state's threatened and endangered species list in 2021 after more than 40 years,' said Pennsylvania Game Commission Endangered Bird Biologist Patricia Barber, 'and yet we continue banding at the Cathedral of Learning nest for the immense educational value it provides. This is a species' Oakland residents can see soar overhead; a species that has also grown a large digital following thanks to the National Aviary Peregrine FalconCam. The more information we can track and share, the more invested in the well-being of all birds these audiences become.' Barber had to climb up the Cathedral of Learning to get the chicks from the nest. 'What another important day for the birding community!' says National Aviary Ornithologist Robert Mulvihill. 'We (at the National Aviary) are greatly moved by this additional opportunity to orchestrate the banding of three additional Peregrine Falcon chicks. Banding is so vital to the continued plight of the Peregrine Falcon species. The data we receive from this banding will help us continue to track the birds' movements, survival rate, mating history, and other aspects of biology that make our job that much easier. After two successful seasons, I am personally so excited to see what the next year of the National Aviary Peregrine FalconCam brings!' The first two chicks hatched on the same day on April 24. The third hatched on April 27. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Cathedral of Learning peregrine falcon pair welcome 2 hatchlings on same day This marks the second brood for Carla and Ecco, who have been a duo since May 2023. Peregrine falcons have stayed at the Cathedral of Learning since 2002. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Bird experts encourage people to turn off lights in peak migration season
The National Aviary and other bird experts are encouraging everyone to turn off or dim unnecessary lights at night. The request comes as we approach peak bird migration season. As many as 1 million birds could be passing over the Pittsburgh area in a single night. Birds are returning north to their breeding grounds for the warmer months. Ornithologist Bob Mulvihill said the lights can disorient the birds, leading to window collisions. 'They don't understand glass. It can both look transparent to them and they think they can fly through it, or it can fly through it, or it can look reflective to them and they think they are flying to their habitat. Either one has a bad consequence when they strike it,' Mulvihill said. Mulvihill said sometimes birds will end up circling lights in urban areas for hours at a time, thinking they are traveling somewhere else. Members of the Fox Chapel Wildlife Conservation Club are helping to spread the message by placing signs. About 75% of the birds will make their migration at night. Mulvihill said you can help your power bill go down while also helping the birds. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Science
- CBS News
3 peregrine falcon chicks banded at Pitt's Cathedral of Learning
The three peregrine falcon chicks born in the nest on Pitt's Cathedral of Learning were banded on Wednesday, helping scientists study the species that was considered endangered in Pennsylvania for decades. Patricia Barber, an endangered bird biologist with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, climbed the Cathedral of Learning's ledge to take the three chicks from their nest and place small, lightweight bands with identifying numbers on their legs. Viewers of the National Aviary's FalconCam have been watching Carla and Ecco's chicks since they hatched at the end of April. While Ecco has been at the Cathedral of Learning since 2020, Carla first appeared in 2023, and the couple had their first brood last year. Those two chicks were also banded a year ago to the day. Peregrine falcons were formerly endangered in Pennsylvania because of the use of the agricultural pesticide DDT. Banding the chicks helps scientists study the behavior of falcons while determining the current status of their populations. (Photo: Mike Faix) "The Peregrine Falcon was removed from our state's threatened and endangered species list in 2021 after more than 40 years and yet we continue banding at the Cathedral of Learning nest for the immense educational value it provides," Barber said. Barber said Oakland residents can see the peregrine falcons soaring overhead, and thanks to the National Aviary's FalconCam, more people are interested. "The more information we can track and share, the more invested in the well-being of all birds these audiences become," Barber said. After successfully banding the chicks two years in a row, the National Aviary says it's excited to see what comes next year. "What another important day for the birding community!" National Aviary ornithologist Robert Mulvihill said. "We (at the National Aviary) are greatly moved by this additional opportunity to orchestrate the banding of THREE additional Peregrine Falcon chicks. Banding is so vital to the continued plight of the Peregrine Falcon species. The data we receive from this banding will help us continue to track the bird's movements, survival rate, mating history, and other aspects of biology that make our job that much easier."
