Yearly Summary

Summaries of peregrine activity in Georgia:

1989 - Three falcons were released at Mount Yonah, and that same year the first urban release was conducted when three birds were hacked from the Georgia Power Co. building in Atlanta. A male from that release is part of the pair that now nests in Atlanta.

1990 - Three falcons were again released at Mount Yonah and three in Atlanta; however, an adult falcon showed up and harassed the young birds in the city, injuring one of them. The other two were recaptured and that release effort was abandoned. Possibly the adult was from the previous years release and had established a territory nearby that remained undiscovered.

1991 - Three falcons were released at Tallulah Gorge (Habersham County).

1992 - Three falcons were again released at Tallulah Gorge, and a pair of falcons attempted to nest in Atlanta on the Marriott Marquis but they were unsuccessful.

1993 - Three falcons were released at Cloudland Canyon, the historical nest location. This lower elevation site had been a lower priority because of the danger of predation by great horned owls.

1994 - Four falcons were released at Cloudland Canyon.

1996 - A pair of falcons nested on the Marriott Marquis and fledged three young after having abandoned a nest with one egg on a nearby building, possibly after disturbance by window washers. It is possible this pair had nested in the two or three preceding years. Falcon sightings had been reported but no nests discovered.

1997 - The Atlanta pair moved back to the downtown nest site they had abandoned the previous year and produced three young. This marked the first year the nest site was available for viewing on the Georgia DNR's Web camera.

1998 - The pair nested again in the same Atlanta location, but both young died of trichomoniasis, a protozoal infection of the mouth and throat usually caused by feeding on infected pigeons or doves. Also, three birds were released at Cloudland Canyon. One of these was apparently killed by a great horned owl.

1999 - Four young were fledged from the Atlanta nest, but one crashed into a window a few days later and died. Nestlings were treated for possible trichomoniasis infection as a precaution.

2000 - Four young fledged from same Atlanta location. Young are now routinely monitored for signs of trichomoniasis, but there have been no more problems.

2001 - Two young fledged from same Atlanta location.

2002 - Three young fledged from same downtown Atlanta location.

2003 - First nesting attempt was abandoned when none of the four eggs hatched.  The pair re-nested and fledged two young.  A second nesting pair was discovered about 1 ½ miles to the north on a building in Midtown.  At least one young fledged from that nest.

2004 - Three young fledged from the downtown Atlanta nest.  The Midtown pair fledged three young.

2005 - Downtown Atlanta nest produced four young; Midtown produced three young.  DNR biologists searched the Lenox Mall area after reported sightings, but found no falcon nests.

2006 - Downtown pair produced two young. Midtown nest produced two or three.

2007 - Downtown nest produced four young. WRD biologists banded three and removed the fourth, which was sent to a veterinarian for treatment of trichomoniasis. The Midtown nest was active, as well. Number of fledglings there estimated at two.

2008 - Downtown nest produced three young. After fledging, two were found injured and treated. Fledglings from the Midtown nest estimated at two.

2009 - The downtown nest produced three young. After fledging, one was found injured and later died. The Midtown nest produced an estimated three young.

2010 - The downtown nest produced another three young, two males and a female. The female was found days later atop a nearby parking deck, suffering from trichomoniasis. The falcon was rehabilitated by Kathryn Dudeck of the Chattahoochee Nature Center and released from the parking deck rooftop on June 9 (photo at right). The Midtown nest produced an estimated three young.

2011 - The downtown nest produced four young, three females and one male. The Midtown nest has at least two young.

Potential mountain nest sites are checked via helicopter every two or three years, but no nests have been found.