HARRISBURG, Pa. — Harrisburg is now home to three more once-endangered peregrine falcons.
The three eggs, offspring of mated pair 85/AK and 09/BS, all hatched within a 7-hour period overnight from May 9 to 10. Bert Myers, director of environmental education at the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, says the eggs hatching so close together is unusual but not unheard of.
Despite the fourth baby never hatching, the nest is one of the most fruitful peregrine falcon sites in terms of producing eggs.
Myers says it's a great success story.
"This is a species that was, not that long ago, literally gone from Pennsylvania—an endangered species," he said. "Now we have a species that's recovered and every young that we add to that mix further improves the dynamics of the population of falcons in Pennsylvania."
The nesting site on top of the Rachel Carson State Office Building has played an instrumental role in bringing the species back. Peregrine falcons are no longer listed as endangered or threatened at the federal or state level.
Unfortunately for avid falcon cam watchers, the birds won't stay in the area for long. Once the babies are more mature, around August, they will take flight to find their own nesting grounds—sometimes states away.
"We have birds from this nest site that are nested in Cleveland, down in Maryland—it's pretty remarkable," Myers said.
Right now, the hatchlings weigh about 1.5 ounces. They will grow very quickly over the next 30 days until they take their first flight in mid-June—a feat that doesn't always go smoothly, Myers said.
The DEP asks volunteers to help them keep an eye on the fledglings when they begin to jump off the RCSOB. Those interested can contact the DEP here.
"They can often get themselves into a compromised position and we literally rescue them," Myers said. "And then I'll take them up to either the roof of the Rachel Carson State Office Building or release them on the 15th-floor ledge if they're healthy and everything is looking good."
Even if the falcons do leave the Commonwealth once they learn to fly, the birds will be banded close to when they reach the fledgling period, meaning researchers will still be able to track and study them.
Visit the DEP here to stay up to date on 09/BS and 85/AK's progress with their new babies. A livestream of the nesting site is also available.