Mother’s Day Arrivals– Four Peregrine Falcon Chicks Hatch at Gulf Tower Nest

Public Can Watch the New Arrivals Live Via Pittsburgh FalconCam

(PITTSBURGH, May 10, 2010) – Dori, the new female peregrine falcon at the Gulf Tower, is officially a first-time mom, and stepmom. Two eggs at the Gulf Tower peregrine falcon nest hatched on Mother’s Day, May 9. A third and fourth egg hatched Monday, May 10; at least one, possibly two of the eggs hatched belonged to Tasha2, the peregrine female that nested at the Gulf Tower since 1998 before being driven away by Dori in late March.

The public can follow the new blended family in their nest on the 37th floor of the Gulf Tower via the Pittsburgh FalconCam at www.aviary.org/falcon. The Pittsbugh FalconCam provides real-time streaming video and sound. Interested viewers can also skip to the “hotspots” section of the page to see archived footage of the hatching events.

“Over the next few weeks, when viewers log on they will be able to watch the chicks develop," says Dr. Todd Katzner, director of Conservation and Field Research at the National Aviary. “They will see the parents bringing food to the nest, and follow the chicks’ rapid growth. In about four weeks, we will give the chicks a veterinary check, and measure and band then. From that point, the FalconCam will provide remarkable insights into the chicks’ development, particularly as they work to strengthen their wings in preparation for their first flight. Throughout that entire period, if you miss an important event, archives are being created that can be accessed at any time.

“Peregrine falcon web cams provide a unique opportunity for non-scientists to see secret elements of the lives of birds that only the most hard core enthusiasts usually get to experience. Not only that, but the archived footage provides the chance to view events repeatedly, over time. Finally this important tool gives the National Aviary a special mechanism to fulfill its mission, to inspire a respect for nature through an appreciation of birds.”

About FalconCam:
Live video streams via cameras installed at the Gulf Tower in downtown Pittsburgh and the Cathedral of Learning this year are providing sharper, and more focused views of the birds. The cameras were installed by PixController, a Murrysville company specializing in wildlife cameras. The images and sounds they collect are streamed by WildEarth.tv to the National Aviary web site, providing real-time web tv images accessible world-wide. FalconCam footage at both sites can be accessed via the National Aviary web site: www.aviary.org/falcon.

The cameras operate 24 hours a day and produce images during the day and at night.

About Peregrine Falcons:
Peregrine falcons were once one of the most widespread birds in the world, but the use of long-lived pesticides such as DDT caused females to produce thin eggshells that often cracked during incubation. By the 1960s, populations crashed throughout much of the world, and in 1974, peregrines were listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. After a nation-wide recovery program enabled the species to make a comeback, the peregrine falcon was federally de-listed in 1999.

The peregrine falcon continues to be listed as a Pennsylvania Endangered species under the state wildlife code because their populations have not fully recovered here. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is the official regulatory and management agency for peregrines in the Commonwealth. The National Aviary collaborates with the Game Commission to increase local peregrine falcon populations and educate the public about this remarkable bird.

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The urban peregrine falcon recovery project is a project of the National Aviary, conducted in partnership with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, University of Pittsburgh, Cathedral of Learning, Gulf Tower, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, PixController www.wildearth.tv, Robert Pierce and Associates, and numerous private citizens who have lent their support.

The National Aviary works to inspire respect for nature through an appreciation of birds.

The National Aviary is America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds. Located in West Park on Pittsburgh’s historic North Side, the National Aviary’s diverse collection comprises 600 birds representing more than 200 species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild. The National Aviary’s large walk-through exhibits create an intimate, up-close interaction between visitors and free-flying birds, including opportunities to hand-feed and to meet many species rarely found in zoos anywhere else in the world.

As an environmental organization composed of educators, conservationists and researchers, the National Aviary’s goals are many. The Aviary aims to provide high quality education programming for varied audiences; provide the highest quality family recreational experience that a zoological institution can offer; save endangered species by preserving natural habitats; continue endangered bird breeding programs and conduct meaningful avian research; engender a sincere appreciation of nature and a respect for natural law; and instill a conservation ethic that teaches our immense responsibility as stewards of the planet. More information at aviary.org or by calling 412.323.7235.