FORT WAYNE, Ind. — A volunteer group saved a baby falcon that nearly took a tumble off of a Fort Wayne building last weekend.
According to WPTA-TV, a woman said she was watching a live stream of the "I&M Falcon Cam," which shows the falcon's nest atop the Indiana Michigan Power Center, Fort Wayne's tallest building. The woman said she only saw one peregrine falcon chick on the video and, since the chicks aren't yet able to fly, became concerned that something was wrong.
Video from the Falcon Cam shows one of the chicks, named Nova, stumbling out of the nest. It was found stuck below the next, inches away from the edge of the 26-story tower.
Members of Soarin' Hawk Rehabilitation, who found the bird after the fall, tried to get Nova back into the nest, but had to dodge swipes and squawks from her overly protective parents.
"The peregrines are very defensive and they had a lot to talk about,” Bob Walton of Soarin’ Hawk said. “A lot of peregrine swear words used. One of them hit John on the shoulder one time. And I got hit in the head one time. Just a little tap, just to say, 'Hey, don’t come back here for a while.'”
The volunteers were eventually able to get Nova back into the nest with her sister, Kiri.
Walton said he expects that in a week or so, the chicks will be strong enough to explore the roof freely, without danger of falling.
Peregrine falcons have been laying eggs in the next atop the I&M Building for nearly three decades. You can watch the live Falcon cam in the player below:
