The headline actually caught my eye first.
Park and DNR Staff ‘Hack’ Young Falcons
Hack??!?!
That word motivated me to click on the link and read the rest of the story.
Turns out that “hacking is the process of placing young falcons in a structure and caring for the birds in a manner that minimizes human exposure until they are mature enough to fly”.
In fact, the birdies are placed in an artificial aerie or hack box which simulates nesting and feeding conditions on steep rock cliffs – prey is dropped into the box through a tube so the birds don’t see or associate people with the food. This cage-like structure also protects the birds from predators during the pre-flight period while allowing them to acclimate to and imprint on the Gorge. When they are ready to ‘fledge’ (fly), they are released from the box, but will return for occasional feedings until their hunting skills allow them to survive on their own.
You can visit the park’s website at http://www.nps.gov/neri, where photos and updates will monitor the birds’ progress.
AND adult peregrines are now nesting on cliffs in Shenandoah National Park where live webcam images of the nest can be seen on the Internet at http://www.nps.gov/shen/cams/
Personally, I think that lil baby peregrine looks like it is made out of cotton!! : )
Supposedly there are 100 movies represented in this photo. I'd love to see if we can get them all!
