Comments on: Bring Them Back!

By: Karen Lang

Karen Lang — Fri, 27 May 2011 17:42:06 +0000

One of the best reasons I can think for banding or ringing the birds is to know where they go. As someone who’s been watching the pair at the Cathedral of Learning for many, many years, it’s really nice to find out that some of the “babies” you watch grow up and have territory of their own, find a mate and have chicks. I’ve been to Youngstown, OH to see Stammy who is the resident male but I remember when he was a chick here at Pitt…I’ve had the pleasure to watch him as an adult and father flying with his chicks. If he wasn’t banded I’d never know that he settled down with a mate & family of his own. It’s not like he remembers me but I remember him. I remember them all.

By: Kathy McCharen

Kathy McCharen — Fri, 27 May 2011 11:56:37 +0000

Thanks for the great photos and info about the banding. I was watching the webcam when the babies were returned and thought at first that the box Beth was carrying was labeled “Chicks”. I had a chuckle when I realized it said “Clicks”

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Fri, 27 May 2011 10:57:07 +0000

Gintaras, it’s true that peregrines don’t enslave their own (they don’t live in social groups where they’d want the forced help of others) but they do kill each other. There are many documented and eyewitness cases of peregrines fighting to the death over nesting territory. That’s why it’s so scary when an intruder shows up to challenge an established pair.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 27 May 2011 03:11:03 +0000

Wonderful!!! Thanks so much.

By: Gintaras

Gintaras — Fri, 27 May 2011 02:56:34 +0000

I don’t like the whole “banding” idea…This way we don’t treat other species living on this planet the same way we would like to be treated…

I like birds, like watching time to time cams, like to take photos of birds, but won’t agree on need of banding…

I don’t think, even Bob Anderson is in favor of banding of birds…
Humans think, they’re most intelligent species on Earth…And what’s an Intelligence Of Species? A Lethal Mutation, and humans are about to prove that…

Behavior? I’ve noticed: Peregrine Falcons, when they lay eggs – it looks, like most important thing in their life – to have babies- chicks, when eggs hatch, they they take care of their chicks like no one else in this World exists – feed chicks….etc…
Then…the chicks learn to fly and leave parents nest…After that, while growing, chick create their own nests and take care of their babies very same way their parents did to them…Isn’t it nice? “Intelligent” humans aren’t able to do this…

Another thing, they don’t kill and don’t enslave of their own, like humans do…

By: Sandra F.

Sandra F. — Fri, 27 May 2011 01:00:03 +0000

What a fun event! I learned so much. And many thanks to the Make-A-Wish employees for graciously allowing us to share their space this morning.

By: Marianne

Marianne — Thu, 26 May 2011 21:31:42 +0000

The slideshow is wonderful! Thanks to all for bringing it to us and thanks to Kate for getting the camera running again!

By: Jan Christensen

Jan Christensen — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:10:01 +0000

Great pictures….can’t believe how big they looked in the vet’s hands! Gives great perspective. Thanks.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:41:58 +0000

Aw, I like how the baby has a few adult feathers in between all the fuzz!

By: Anne Marie

Anne Marie — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:25:45 +0000

Thanks to everyone involved in bringing us the video and slide show of these cuties! Amazing how big they actually are… I always envision them the size of baby chickens on the webcam until I see them at the banding! I thought the camera ADDED 10 pounds?