Next generation: Meet WSU's new peregrine falcons

In 2019, the installation of Wayne State's Falcon Cam gave viewers an inside look at the daily lives of WSU's resident Peregrine Falcons, Isabella and Freedom. The webcam, perched on the front of Old Main, allows researchers and the public alike to monitor the nesting habits of these fascinating birds of prey 24 hours a day.

This year, WSU observers were astonished to learn that a brand new pair of falcons has swooped in and taken over the ledge.

The pair were identified as Regal, a male hatched in Warren, Michigan in 2018, and an unnamed female hatched at the University of Toledo in 2012. The duo now has three chicks which are likely to start fledging soon.

Peregrines, which are the fastest animals on earth - sometimes diving over 200 miles per hour to catch prey - have been known to travel hundreds of miles to find mates. Once mated, most peregrines remain monogamous and nest in the same spot for years.

Learn more about urban birds of prey - and what may have happened to Isabella and Freedom - during a virtual chat with falcon experts at 3 p.m. on Friday, June 12. Michelle Serreyn, Wayne State's resident "Nature Nut," will join Holly Vaughn, a public outreach and engagement unit manager for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at wayne.edu/live.

Photo credit: Melissa McLeod