Jun 02 2010
Bring Him Back!
We take for granted that nestling peregrines are always healthy but sometimes they catch a parasite from the birds they eat.
Avian trichomoniasis (Trichomonas gallinae) is a protozoan that infects mostly pigeons and doves but can be caught by the raptors who eat them. It’s generally a disease of the young and can be fatal because its lesions block the throat of the victim until he starves. In young birds this happens rapidly. In the few older birds who become infected, the lesions may invade the jaw, causing holes in the jawbone. Interestingly, these holes were discovered on T. rex fossils and established another link between dinosaurs and birds.
Pictured above is one of Harrisburg’s peregrine parents, looking in the window of the Rachel Carson Office Building where his youngsters were taken yesterday.
When the nestlings were banded on May 26, the banders discovered that one nestling had trichomoniasis. He was treated with a dose of antibiotic but it was not enough to cure him. Yesterday he and his brothers were re-examined. His siblings are still healthy and were returned to the nest. He was retained for treatment.
“Bring him back!” say his parents.
Not until he’s healthy again.
(photo from the Harrisburg PA Falconcam. Thanks to Donna Memon and Marianne Atkinson for alerting me to this Harrisburg news.)
I read about this from a site sno leopard provided me yesterday; it was so sad. She was sitting at the other end for a long time. I just looked now at 9:05am & I could see no one. If some one isin nest you can’t see them because its shady & some of them have too many dark feathers to discern them & I am using old eyes.
that picture is precious.
come to think of it, this picture is peculiar to me because i don’t think i’ve ever seen a bird purposely look through glass. i guess the urban dwelling peregrines have learned a thing or two about glass windows.
I think the adults “get it” but the youngsters have to learn it. Even so, when angry an adult will slam a window trying to get to the person behind it.
I could just cry. That is so sad – poor mom looking in for her baby. Hopefully baby will recover real soon.
The Peregrines continue to amaze me.
Kate:
I just looked at the Harrisburg live cams and it looks from one shot as if a bird is either injured or dead. The shot is not of the peregrine nest but of a rooftop. Do you know anything about this?
Looks fine to me at this point. From what I can see, the two youngsters are standing in the shade behind the orange-colored pillar. One of their parents was perched above the nest but just flew off. There should be only two juveniles at this site now. The third youngster was removed on June 1 for medical treatment.
p.s. Juvenile peregrines lay flat on their bellies sometimes. They are not hurt. They’re just acting like babies.
Something seems wrong at the Harrisburgh site; one of the two remaining chics was acting funny since thur, and I haven’t seen a sight of either of the two juveniles since sat.. and the parent PFs seemed often comes near the nest and making noise.. and no news on the website.. My hope is they took them to be with their brother so all three can be reintroduced back together…