The three Peregrines that recently left their aerie at San Jose
City Hall are local falcon favorites, as are Horus the Peregrine
and Ariel the Merlin, two of WERC’s non-releasable, educational
falcons. Joining them at the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation
Center, but only temporarily, are three of another falcon
species
– kestrel babies from Hollister who were rescued early in June
after the palm tree they nested in swayed a little too much and
down they came.
The three Peregrines that recently left their aerie at San Jose City Hall are local falcon favorites, as are Horus the Peregrine and Ariel the Merlin, two of WERC’s non-releasable, educational falcons. Joining them at the Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center, but only temporarily, are three of another falcon species – kestrel babies from Hollister who were rescued early in June after the palm tree they nested in swayed a little too much and down they came.
The littlest arrived with its eyes still closed and down covering most of its body. They have gone from a small basket to a large playpen, and as soon as they are eating on their own, will transfer to an outside enclosure before they are released later this summer.
Kestrels are the smallest (9 inches long) and the most common falcon in North America and range across the continent. They inhabit in a wide variety of habitats including parks, suburbs, open fields, forest openings, alpine zones, grasslands, marshes, prairies and deserts.
Unlike the speedy Peregrine, which can reach speeds of 200 mph while swooping down on bird-prey, the Kestrel hovers and scans for the small rodents and insects that make up its typical meal.
An equal opportunity bird-of-prey, it can also be found perching on fences and power lines, on the lookout for other potential food such as reptiles, frogs, bats and the occasional small bird, hence the Kestrel’s erroneous nickname, Sparrow Hawk.
The Kestrels also need to keep a watch out for those raptors that prey on them: Red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, barn owls, great horned owls and even the Peregrine falcon.
