The U-M community is invited to participate in an online contest to help name the female peregrine falcon chick that recently hatched in a nesting box on the roof of North Quad.
Names may be suggested by posting a reply to this tweet on U-M’s Public Affairs Twitter account. Submissions will be accepted until June 15.
The falcon chick hatched in early May, was banded in early June and will be tracked by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The breeding pair of falcons could not be identified.
This is the sixth year the university has hosted an online naming contest for falcon chicks. In 2018, the community selected Betsy, Bursley, Mojo and Markley, which also hatched on the roof of North Quad.
According to the DNR, it is not uncommon for peregrine falcons to use the same nest site for many years. In urban areas, peregrine pairs tend to nest on tall buildings or bridges, which simulate high cliffs and ledges, making the North Quad tower a prime location.
The DNR has advised the public that if they come across the chick on the ground — which happens from time to time when they are learning to fly — to contact the DNR SE Michigan Peregrine Falcon Nest Coordinator at 989-313-0283. The DNR would have a certified rehabilitator collect the chick, rehabilitate her if needed, then reintroduce her back to the North Quad nest so she can continue to learn life skills from her parents.
The peregrine falcon has been removed from the federal endangered species list but remains an endangered species in Michigan. A male falcon is about the size of a crow. Females are slightly larger.
