Meet Hammer, Anvil, and Stirrup – MRMC’s Newest Peregrine Falcons
Meet Hammer (F), Anvil (F), and Stirrup (M), the three new additions to the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center’s (MRMC) peregrine falcon nesting box, located on top of the Thermal Power Plant. This location was previously known as the We Energies Milwaukee County Power Plant and has been an active nesting box since 2013. More than 35 peregrine falcon chicks have hatched from this location.
On Wednesday, June 5, 2024, each of the chicks were named, and the females were banded. Stirrup will be banded in the upcoming days, once his legs further develop to avoid the bands from becoming too tight.
Beginning in 1986, Greg Septon, founder of the Wisconsin Peregrine Falcon Recovery Project, has assisted with this banding process along with all other nesting boxes located across the state of Wisconsin.
Septon reflected on the reestablishment of the Wisconsin peregrine falcon population in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stating, “I grew up at a time when it was for the most part impossible to see a peregrine in the wild. It makes me quite happy today to be able to take my daughter and show her something I was never able to experience, which is pretty special.” (Smith, 2017).
This project, led by the MRMC, is a testament to the successful recovery efforts for peregrine falcons. These birds were once endangered by the pesticide DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane), which was first developed in the 1940s to combat infectious diseases such as malaria, typhus, and other vector-borne diseases. In 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned it due to its adverse environmental effects on wildlife and the harmful risks posed to humans (EPA, 2024). In 1962, Rachel Carson released Silent Spring, a book that highlighted how DDT bioaccumulates and biomagnifies, making her one of the first people to raise concerns about the pesticide’s long-lasting effects.
In peregrine falcons, DDT caused thinning of eggshells, leading them to break before chicks were ready to hatch. This caused the population of peregrine falcons to rapidly decline, nearly driving them to the brink of extinction (Friedel, 2024). The banning of DDT was a pivotal moment in the conservation of these falcons and other endangered wildlife, and further demonstrates how policy changes can have long-lasting positive impacts. This initiative is a prime example of how environmental sustainability efforts can lead to tangible and positive outcomes. By restoring the peregrine falcon population, the natural ecological balance is restored as these birds are top predators in their habitats (Union County, 2022).
The use of urban nesting boxes, such as the one at MRMC, is an innovative approach to conservation that raises awareness of the importance of protecting wildlife. Projects like this one contribute to scientific knowledge about peregrine falcons and urban ecology, and the successful conservation of these birds emphasizes the importance of environmental policies and regulations.