Up close with peregrine falcons

The Rochester Oaks crew helped Minnesota DNR falconers and biologists ban and survey a nest of peregrine falcons at Great River Bluffs State Park in southeast Minnesota. The team used climbing equipment to scale down the cliff face of a bluff to retrieve four baby falcons. “After the babies were taken from the nest, the mother kept dive bombing the falconer who took them out. It was an amazing sight to see,” said Will Farhat, crew leader.
Biologists drew blood samples, determined age and gender and banned the falcons while the Corps crew observed and recorded information. Banding is used for tracking the falcons to understand their mortality rate and cause of death.