Hello all - I have provided this type of information for the list in the
past, looks like it is time to revisit it again.  As manager of the
Central Ohio peregrine nest sites I find the remains of some of the
birds they eat on the ledge, in the vicinity of the nest, etc.  Most of
my observations have been from the downtown Columbus nesting territory
but in the past 2 years with peregrines hanging about OSU (no successful
nesting attempt yet) I have added observations from that location as
well.  Keep in mind that the falcons eat a lot of birds away from the
nest ledge so the pieces/parts/remains I find are only a very small
sampling of their overall diet.  And, my findings are only a very small
sampling of peregrine diets in Ohio.

 

When peregrines were being released in the state as part of the Midwest
Peregrine Recovery Project the media did us no favor by reporting that
the releases were to "control pigeons downtown."  Completely false.  The
project was to restore the population of an endangered species.  Anyway,
peregrines do indeed eat pigeons.  But most pigeons that reside downtown
know that the falcons are there and tend to stay lower to the ground.
Probably the majority of the pigeons that are consumed are likely racing
pigeons that are making their way through town and are not familiar with
the threat of resident peregrines.  I actually find a few of racing
pigeon bands in/near the nest each year to support this theory.   Bottom
line, peregrines are opportunistic predators and will prey on what is
readily available and easy to catch.  Based only on the remains found
at/near the nest at the Rhodes Tower (and again, this is a VERY small
sample size) pigeons, starlings and mourning doves are the primary prey
species that are consumed at/near the nest.  It is not uncommon to find
the remains of one or two cuckoos each year.  Even with that, after 15+
years of hosting nesting peregrines, the local cuckoo population in
Columbus must be stable to supply the peregrines with the token one or
two cuckoos every year. 

 

The variety of prey I have observed over the years is amazing.  To list
a few off the top of my head:  downy woodpecker, meadowlark, cardinal,
flicker, woodcock, oriole, chimney swift, gallinule, red-winged
blackbird, cedar waxwing, rose-breasted grosbeak and my personal
favorite find:  parakeet.  As you can see with this small sampling the
diet is very varied.  The river as a migratory corridor no doubt helps
bring some of this diversity to the table.  A few years ago Rob Thorn
and I together looked through the remains from the nestbox at the Rhodes
Tower so perhaps he can add anything from that year that he remembers
that I do not.

 

Just as a side note it might be interesting to some that well over
103,000 viewers from locations all over the world have watched the
Columbus Falcons over the years.  This peregrine exposure has no doubt
led to increased awareness of other aspects of birding and wildlife
conservation.

Donna M. Daniel 

Assistant Wildlife Management Supervisor

ODNR, Division of Wildlife, District One

1500 Dublin Rd.

Columbus, OH  43215

614/644-3925

614/644-3931 FAX

[log in to unmask]

http://www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/

http://ohioperegrinefalcons.blogspot.com/

 

 

 


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