University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Falcons return to South Campus

Male and female peregrine falcons have taken up residence in the tower of Mackay Heating Plant on the South Campus. Photo: DOUGLAS LEVERE

• Print

• Comments (2)

• 

  Facilities staff put 4 inches of pea gravel in the nesting box to make it as natural as possible. Falcons normally nest on rocky cliff ledges.

  

  The view from the nesting box overlooks the VA Hospital.



A falcon perches on a red oak branch at the edge of the nesting box.

By SUE WUETCHER

April 1, 2009

UB is not Capistrano, but it does have its returning birds. The peregrine falcons have come back to the South Campus and UB officials hope they will start a family while they’re here.

A pair of the rare birds, which were spotted by local birdwatchers last spring and summer, have returned to take up residence in the tower of Mackay Heating Plant on the east side of the South Campus.

University Facilities was prepared. Working with local officials from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Ronald C. Van Splunder, manager of architectural support for Facilities Planning and Design, built a nesting box and received permission from the state Office of Historic Preservation—the Mackay tower is a state historic landmark—to install the box near the top of the tower.

Facilities Operations staff, using a ladder to climb the 137-foot tower, installed the nesting box a couple of weeks ago while replacing a window as part of the tower’s spring maintenance program, Van Splunder says.

“Three days later, the male falcon came back,” he says. At that time, the female had not been seen. But on March 24, “photos were taken of the pair together in the nesting box. We’re assuming there are eggs in there,” he adds, although that has not been confirmed. A webcam that also was installed is not functioning; officials hope to have the camera working this week. The UB Reporter will publish its URL when the camera goes live.

If there are eggs in the nest and they hatch, the DEC plans to tag the baby falcons, Van Splunder says. At that time, a UB logo will be placed in the nesting box so that it is visible via the webcam.

Van Splunder says the falcon project has been a lot of fun for Facilities staff. Besides the beauty they add to campus, the birds have had a practical impact, significantly reducing the rodent and pigeon population, “and all the cleanup involved. They’re almost like the newest UB employees,” he jokes.