A juvenile peregrine falcon peeks out from under a nest box set up on top of the Chase building in downtown Lima. This falcon is one of four one-time chicks who recently emerged from the nest.
LIMA — Several young peregrine falcons have fledged from their nest box atop the Chase building at 121 W. High St. in downtown Lima.
Four chicks hatched beginning April 25, and wildlife professionals are optimistic that all four successfully fledged, according to a June 14 update to the Falcon Nest Blog on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website.
Photos of the falcons shared on the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Facebook page show the young birds beginning to explore the rooftop independently. According to the update, the falcons will stay with the adults over the summer as they learn to hunt, and they will eventually leave to become independent in the fall.
Dan Hodges, a naturalist at the Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District, said nesting boxes like the one at the Chase building began as an effort to reintroduce peregrine falcons when they were threatened as an endangered species, first being placed on the federal endangered species list in 1970. Because of the successful repopulation of the species, the falcon is no longer listed at the federal or state level but is still monitored.
Hodges said that nesting locations on high-rise city buildings suit the falcons well, mimicking their natural habitat as they are cliff-dwelling birds, giving them a high vantage point.
“Because they hunt other birds, they fly up high looking for birds down below. When they see a bird, they’ll start diving, and when they get into the stoop of their dive, they can reach speeds in excess of 200 miles an hour. They’re really incredible birds, incredible hunters,” he said.
He added that the nest box is a unique opportunity for the Lima region.
“These are such cool birds and it’s a really great opportunity for people to see one of these fantastic animals right here in Lima,” he said. “One of the coolest animals on the earth is right in your backyard, right downtown.”
