University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

Banding the falcon chicks allows wildlife biologists to track the movements and lifespans of the endangered birds. Photo: KEN NUSSTEIN

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  Mike Koch with the DEC handles one of the chicks. Photo: KEN NUSSTEIN

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  BB, the chicks' mother, is none to happy to have company. Photo: KEN NUSSTEIN

By SUE WUETCHER

Published: May 27, 2010

Harry, Ron and Hermione—the names of the three main characters in the Harry Potter books—have been chosen as the monikers for UB’s three peregrine falcon chicks.

However, Hermione soon became Herman after state Department of Environmental Conservation biologists, banding the birds on Tuesday morning, determined that all three chicks are male.

The three names were selected from more than 70 suggestions posted on the Office of Community Relations’ YourUB blog by falcon fans.

The chicks are living with their parents in the tower of Mackay Heating Plant on the east side of the South Campus. They hatched on May 4.

A “Falcon Cam” installed in the birds’ nesting box in mid-March—before the breeding season began­—has given the falcons worldwide exposure. Viewers from all over the world have been monitoring the progress of the chicks and sending emails to UB’s homepage.

Over the past 10 days, the chicks have become more mobile, and recently have been venturing to the front of the nesting box. DEC senior wildlife biologist Connie Adams describes them as “teenage peregrines, eager to spread their wings.”

Once peregrine chicks leave their nest, they likely will not return. Their parents, however, frequently return to the same nest to raise another brood.  The UB mother falcon, BB, also raised four chicks in the MacKay nesting box last year.