The newest Harrisburg falcons were banded Monday in a livestreamed educational event attended by local students and hosted by the Department of Environmental Protection and Game Commission at Rachel Carson State Office Building.
Talking with students from Pine Grove High School and St. Stephens Episcopal School, DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell noted the symbolism of having a thriving peregrine nest on top of the building named for an influential pioneer of modern environmentalism.
“It was biologist Rachel Carson’s cutting-edge work on the negative impacts of DDT in the 1960s that led to a ban on this pesticide, which was toxic to humans and wildlife such as the peregrine," said DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell. "Carson’s work helped raise awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and led to the establishment of federal and state environmental agencies.”
Game Commission biologist Art McMorris led the team in bringing the nestlings in from the 15th floor ledge. He weighed the birds, inspected their health, and banded them. A Pine Grove student recorded the weight and band code for each.
The peregrine falcon was removed from the federal Endangered Species List in 1999 but remains federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It’s listed as endangered in Pennsylvania and protected under the Game and Wildlife Code
Sixty-eight falcons have now hatched since the nest was installed at the Rachel Carson building in 1996. It’s the most productive nest in Pennsylvania.
Click Here to watch a video of the event.
For more information, a gallery of photos and to watch the Harrisburg falcon nest live online, visit DEP’s FalconCam webpage.
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