District Falcons Return to Roost
Tune in to NOCCCD'S livestream featuring peregrine falcons Fiona and Frank as they return for the third consecutive spring to their usual nesting spot on the 10th floor of the Anaheim Campus.
Spring is frequently associated with fresh rain, budding blooms, and new life brimming in a sun-warmed meadow—a scene that we normally don’t associate with the urban sprawl of Orange County's oldest city. But, somehow, life finds a way, and it turns out the concrete window ledges of the NOCCCD Anaheim Campus building happen to be the perfect nesting spot for our local peregrine falcon family.
Mama falcon “Fiona” and father “Frank” have been mates for at least five years. Last week, they settled down for the breeding season and livestream cameras were set up to follow the eggs' journey from hatchling to adult. Watch the nest in real time on our YouTube channel and see for yourself why peregrine falcon nests—known as scrapes—are sometimes regarded as "pretty uninspiring." As of now, there are four eggs in the nest and the average incubation time until hatching is about a month.
Peregrine falcons are a type of hunting bird found all over the world. Their most sought prey is usually other birds, like pigeons, blackbirds, and ducks, but they can occasionally give chase for small mammals and reptiles. Though they can survive in a variety of environments from deserts to the tundra, the presence of high, rocky cliff faces is necessary for them to really call it home. These rocky shelters are where peregrine falcons construct their nests. The rocky, solid surface of the District building is the perfect imitation, with the deep set ledges providing some shelter from the winds. It is there on the 10th floor that Fiona and Frank have made the nest they've been using for the last several years.
Just under 30 years ago, getting a glimpse of a peregrine falcon was rare. From 1973 to 1999, peregrine falcons were considered an endangered species as one of the many North American bird species impacted by DDT pesticide usage in the 1950s. By the time they had been registered on the endangered species list, their population was already absent on the East Coast and rapidly dwindling in the West. Only after DDT was banned could peregrine falcon numbers make a comeback. Thanks to the efforts of wildlife biologists, conservationists, and ecologists, the peregrine falcon is no longer an endangered species, and their population has been restored to historic ranges.
The Peregrine Fund is a non-profit organization that was founded to protect the peregrine falcon population when it was threatened and now aims to conserve the birds of prey population around the world. They developed many successful strategies for breeding birds in captivity and returning them to the wild. The path to becoming an environmental conservationist can start right here at the District in one of numerous Natural Science degrees offered at both Fullerton and Cypress College.
