Who’s That Bird?

Who’s that bird at our Red Wing Grain nestbox? It’s Maggie 79/X, a 2020 hatch from Effigy Mounds National Monument near Marquette, Iowa!

Maggie 79/X at Red Wing Grain
Maggie 79/X at Red Wing Grain

2020 was a very special year at Effigy Mounds. In 1996, RRP’s founder Bob Anderson moved down to Iowa to pursue returning Peregrine Falcons to their historical eyries on the cliffs of the Mississippi River. We did two years of releases from Hanging Rock at Effigy Mounds National Monument and, in 2000, peregrine falcons returned to the cliffs…a movement led by our gold-banded, cliff-released birds.

A lot of people were involved in the project, including an ardent conservationist and project friend named Maggie. When Peregrine Falcons returned to nest at Effigy Mounds, we wanted to name them in honor of conservation heroes and friends. The first two we banded were siblings. We named the male ‘Bob’ after Bob Anderson, and the female ‘Maggie’ in honor of the friend who had supported our captive breeding and cliff return project.

Peregrine falcons are not only the fastest animals on the planet, but they are also among the most skilled and agile fliers in the animal kingdom.Peregrine falcons are not only the fastest animals on the planet, but they are also among the most skilled and agile fliers in the animal kingdom.
Maggie landing on a beam: a favorite perching spot for the Red Wing Grain Falcons. You can often see them from the bike path and levee. Or cross the river, go stand in the overlook beneath the Maiden Rock State Bluff Natural Area, and look for them there.Maggie landing on a beam: a favorite perching spot for the Red Wing Grain Falcons. You can often see them from the bike path and levee. Or cross the river, go stand in the overlook beneath the Maiden Rock State Bluff Natural Area, and look for them there.
Two falcons - probably E/30 Mac and Maggie - courting.Two falcons - probably E/30 Mac and Maggie - courting.
I love her beautiful tail and flight feathers! She's braking with her wings and tail and swinging her feet up to land.I love her beautiful tail and flight feathers! She's braking with her wings and tail and swinging her feet up to land.
I think of these as touch-and-goes - similar to the flight training exercise that teaches human pilots to land and take off again without stopping.I think of these as touch-and-goes - similar to the flight training exercise that teaches human pilots to land and take off again without stopping.

Thanks to Earl from RW Wild Photography for sharing his wonderful photographs with us! https://rwwild.com/.

Peregrine falcons are still shifting around and Maggie might not end up nesting at Red Wing Grain. But my talons are crossed that she does!

Watch the Red Wing Grain Falcons here: https://www.raptorresource.org/birdcams/additional-falcon-cams/ or here: https://www.youtube.com/@redwinggrain9917/live.

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News, Peregrine Falcons