Now that the chick at the Cathedral of Learning is banded many of you have asked, “When will he get a name?”
The long answer is explored at this FAQ How Do Peregrines Get Their Names? but in short:
- Some states name the nestlings on Banding Day. Pennsylvania takes the scientific view and does not.
- When peregrines nest, it becomes too difficult for observers to discuss them without a name. In Pennsylvania the person(s) who discover/monitor the nest site are the ones who name the adults. If we can read the peregrine’s band we try to find out if it already has a name. Most peregrines are unbanded.
In Pennsylvania, fledglings have temporary names during Fledge Watch, based on the colored tape the bander applies to the USFW band on the nestling’s right leg. Colored tape is used so that Fledge Watch volunteers can identify individual birds with binoculars. (The black/green band is too hard to read from a distance.) When there’s only one nestling no colored tape is applied. The USFW band is silver in Pennsylvania.
The colors don’t change and we reuse the same names year after year: Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, White, Silver. The tape is temporary but is useful in late spring and early summer when the peregrine family is still together in the vicinity of the nest.
At Fledge Watch we describe a bird’s location like this, “Green is on 38th floor, west patio edge.” If we know the bird is male we might say “Green Boy.”
This nestling has no tape on ‘his’ USFW band and we really don’t know ‘his’ sex so we won’t say Boy or Girl. At Fledge Watch he’ll just be Silver.
I may as well start calling ‘him’ that right now.
By the way, please do read the naming FAQ. It explains how Dorothy, E2, Louie and Dori got their names and much much, more.
(photo from the National Aviary snapshot cam at the University of Pittsburgh)
Hi Kate, Thank you. I read the FAQ; so, it sounds like the names Louie, E2 and Dori were picked quite deliberately. Those sound more like “real” names as opposed to just calling the chick Silver. I can’t tell if you are saying you think Silver will get a different name eventually(?) Or not? The main suggestions I’ve seen floated around here are Flip and Trooper.
Marta, Silver is a temporary name. The bird will be named permanently by those who closely monitor his/her nest site when he/she nests. Names for the adults, when chosen, are picked by the people who discover and closely monitor the nest in person & on the ground.
Some of you remember a bird temporarily named Silver Boy who became famous after he died.
The mortality rate among first-year peregrines is 60%. For each color there are examples of birds who lived and birds who died. For example, Blue in 2011 went on to nest at the Green Tree water tower, while Blue in 2012 died in a window strike at Craig Hall a few weeks after fledging.
Every year the temporary names are re-used without affecting mortality.
Thank you. Ohhhhh.. Ahhh …. now I get it (light bulb over my head).
It’s like the pandas at the zoo: Until they “made” it, are ONE year old, they won’t get a “name”.
So : Silver = Fuzzy = Flip… should/will not get a NAME until he/she is grown, starts his/her own family/nest, and is observed doing so.
And then, and only then, will he/she be “unofficially” named by those who watch the progress.
May Silver grow up to be strong & healthy, so that she/he will “get” a name.
Thank you.
ReA, you said it better than I did. Thank you!
I have not seen E2 for days. Has anyone seen him?
Judy, E2 is not on camera but he is perched right above it. He goes out hunting & brings home food. The camera area is tiny. The camera can’t see what’s really going on.
Thank you so much kate for this information. I was concerned not seeing him.
Hi Kate! Hope it’s ok to post a general question here, not about naming. Wondering whether, when Dorothy and E2 hunt, do they take prey birds out of the air and right to the nest? or do they need to take prey to the ground first? which seems more risky, especially in an urban area. Thanks for all the great info!
Barbara, they catch it in the air. The only time I’ve seen either of them on the ground was a photo of Dorothy bathing in the river. And I’ve watched them for 14 years so that was once in 14 years!
Thanks, Kate! Good to know.
thanks for your reply to my question above, Kate! Sorry for the delay – I wasn’t able to sign back on to your site for awhile. 🙂 That is very helpful to know, appreciate it. Marta
Are you able to post video from the falcon cam? (Saw something really cute yesterday!)
Barbara, post a message with the time code and someone will look it up in the archives.
Ok, great! It was yesterday, 6/1, between 1750 and 1755. Mom and baby between them had just devoured a dove. Baby was stuffed and did a perfect faceplant! He stayed that way for nearly an hour (I was getting worried!) lol remembering…
Saw silver up on his toes for a brief time this morning. Just look at him grow! I think now that he/she is free of those nasty parasites he/she is doing much better. He/she is changing and growing almost daily. Way to go Dorothy and E2!
I have a tough time calling him Silver. The death of Silver Boy broke my heart. There were good odds that he would be Dorothy’s last fledgling. She had two babies but the one died early. And three other eggs didn’t hatch. Silver Boy was a very special peregrine
Now dispite her age, Dororhy has done it again. Another miracle chick. I understand the naming protocol but we’re talking about Dorothy’s baby. Out of respect for Dorothy & E2, this chick should have a name that’s all his or hers. And Silver Boy’s name shouldn’t be reused.
Deb, I’m sorry the naming method disappoints you. Here in Pittsburgh we give temporary names. The names do not affect the birds’ destinies. See this comment for more information http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2015/06/01/all-about-names/#comment-156189
Thanks so much for the info, Kate! I really appreciate you keeping us all informed. That was interesting to learn about the “names”. But, speaking or him(or her) shouldn’t the results from the blood test be back here in the next couple days? Will they let you know if “Silver” is a boy or girl? Then will you please let us know? Thanks again so much!
I’m so sorry to bother you again but I was just wondering…. Do you happen to know if Blue 2011 is still nesting at the Greentree water tower?
Mare, there are no peregrines are at the Green Tree water tower this year. Blue (of 2011) left.
Hi again. I know their names don’t affect their destinies. I know how the naming process works in PA. I also know the birds don’t care and I’m being a silly human. I’ve just been following this nest for a long time. I adore Dorothy and E2. And Erie before E2 showed up. E2 had to earn his way in my heart and boy did he!!!! I’ve been following other nest sites; peregrines, eagles, ducks, loons and others but I have never seen the devotion in parents that I’ve seen at this nest. If I hadn’t seen it I wouldn’t believe it. When Silver Boy died, his parents mourned. I didn’t imagine that. When the little baby died, E2 had to sneak it out while Dorothy hunted because she kept mothering it.
This year they have a chick with some developmental issues. His parents know. You’ve said yourself that they have done things for that chick that you’ve never seen a peregrine do before.
This has been a special nest with a fantastic set of parents. I just wish that an exception would be made. That this chick be called something other than Silver. Even temporarily. I know, neither Dorothy, E2, or the chick know or care.
I do though….
Thank you Kate! I appreciate the info. I heard mention that Silver Boy became famous because he died? I don’t understand. Just because he died, he became famous? Or, did something else happen? Or do you happen to have a link to an article that explains what happened? I just started watching this nest(Dorothy & E2) this year/nesting season so I’m trying to catch up a little. Thanks again!!!
Mare P, was famous already in a small way. Most people didn’t even care about him until he died.
Last year was a lot like this year. Multiple eggs, two hatched but only one check survived. For those of us who had been following this nest, this chick was important. Dorothy was old. This could be her last chick. There might not be any more viable eggs. She might not return again to the nest. A younger female might fight her for the nest.
We all thought he was special but he wasn’t famous. He grew up and he fledged with all the usual fanfare of the local bird watchers.
He was still getting the hang of flying and hunting when an avid follower found him in the street dead. Silver Boy had been hit by a car or crashed into one. Kate was called, she called the game commission and buried him. Kate St. John is awesome.
What made him “famous” is the news media picked it up. All of a sudden everyone knew about Silver Boy and he had a few days of fame. Then it was over till this year.
Deb, Wow! Thanks for the kind words. It does seem like yesterday that all this happened. Amazingly it was 2 years ago … Dorothy was egg bound last year & there were no chicks at all. Last year was a very strange.
Oh my gosh!!! It was 2 years ago!!! It really does seem like yesterday. I remember her being egg bound and worrying about her dying from that.
You really are awesome. I got attached to this nest because my son went to Pitt and I love the COL. But I live near Philadelphia.
You are the bird guru. You’re always up to date on all the nests. Your blog is a Godsend. And I watch the goings on through your eyes and lens. Thank you!!!
Hi Kate,
I’m so sorry to bother you but I was wondering if you might happen to know who controls the camera at the Falcon nest on top of the Cathedral here in Pittsburgh? I’ve been keeping an eye on the nest box there since little Silver left. There has been a little juvenile visitor and also Dorothy visits too. Not sure if E2 has been around up there or not. But, a lot of the time its hard to tell who’s there since the camera is focused on the back of the box. Usually when someone is there now, they are up on the grassy ledge. Although some times Dorothy will lay and kick the stones near the back of the box. But, usually now they stand on the grassy ledge. And with the camera zoomed in, its hard to see who’s sitting up there a lot of the time.
I was trying to see if I could maybe ask them to move the camera back just a little so we could see who’s visiting/sitting up on the ledge. That’s why I thought I’d ask to see if you might know. If, by chance, you might happen to know???
Thank you very much!!
Mare, I have reviewed the snapshots from the past 2 weeks (available here: http://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org_slideshows/Cathedral_refreshCam.html ).
The peregrine on-camera visits you’ve seen are Dorothy & E2. Perhaps you said “a juvenile” because the other bird is smaller but he is an adult male peregrine; he is E2. (Female peregrines are noticeably larger than males; males are 1/3 smaller.)
They’ve been visiting the nest to do their pair-bonding ceremony in which they bow together. E2 often goes to the nest first and calls Dorothy to come bow with him. They bow for a short time and then E2 leaves first and Dorothy stays at the nest for a little while, sometimes digs the nest scrape. Then she perches on the green perch in front. Eventually she leaves too.
Regarding zooming out the video camera: more news later.
Thanks Kate! I really appreciate you explaining what’s been happening at the falcon/cathedral site. However, a few times myself and a couple other have noticed a falcon standing on the front grassy ledge that has some tan on its front. That’s why I/we thought it was a juvenile. I know E2 is an adult, but could he possibly still have some(a little) tan on his front side? How I’ve been telling Dorothy apart, is she has or had a gray spot right above her beak & yes, she is a lot bigger. But that’s only if I can see her close up when she’s on the ledge facing the camera.
Mare, during the summer adult peregrines molt into new feathers. After Dorothy and E2 molt they both have fresh new feathers on their chests that look slightly tan or peachy-colored. Dorothy is much more ‘peachy’ than E2. She’s the one who’s been sitting on the green ‘grassy’ (actually Astroturf’) perch.
Also, the white mark above her beak may well disappear after she replaced those feathers.
aaaah, ok, I see. Well that makes more sense then(molting & tan/peachy color on the front of them). I was wondering if there was a juvenile there, why Dorothy or E2 wouldn’t chase it away. But, now I know there wasn’t/isn’t a juvenile, its Dorothy or E2, or both. For some reason, I thought only the babies or juveniles had the tan on them. I thought I read somewhere that the tan tells others that its still immature.
Also, thanks for explaining about the gray spot, because recently I haven’t seen it & was wondering. I knew I had seen it there on Dorothy before when she was incubating & before Silver fledged.
Thanks for the link to the site pictures. But it only show’s the current picture. Is there maybe a link that show’s past or archived pictures from that camera angle. Its nice to see a different angle of the ledge & box.
Thank you soooo much for all the info. I really appreciate it!