SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — Traffic isn’t the only thing that brings the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge to life.
There are peregrine falcons there, too.
To monitor the falcons’ movements, reproductive behavior and population growth, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) has added color-coded bands to the legs of the three chicks with the assistance of a Sault College environmental technologist Brittny White and recent graduate Glo O’Brien, according to a news release.
Along with their leg bands, the peregrine falcon chicks were also given names. The International Bridge staff named the female chicks Janet and Barb and the male chick Chum.
Janet and Barb pay tribute to retired bridge toll collectors Barb Winowiecki and the late Janet Hotchkiss.
The name Chum honors Janet’s customary way of calling many individuals “chum.”
Karl Hansen, a bridge engineer with the International Bridge Administration (IBA), said it remains uncertain whether this is the same pair of falcons that has been nesting on the bridge connecting the U.S. and Canada over the years.
Since 2010, nest boxes have been installed on the bridge at sites with signs of previous nesting by peregrines. The resident peregrine falcon pair successfully hatched four chicks last year. According to Hansen, the location has proven to be a triumph, with 42 falcon chicks hatched since the IBA staff began monitoring the birds. Several years ago, the idea of placing video cameras, eventually dubbed “FalCam,” on the nest boxes to give bird watchers and onlookers a front-row seat to the nature of the falcons.
During the 1960s and ’70s, the state lost a significant amount of its falcons due to the excessive use of DDT and other environmental contaminants; therefore, this breed of falcon was placed on the federal endangered species list.
But it has since been removed due to increased numbers since the 1990s. The falcon is still protected by state and federal law in Michigan. In Canada, the peregrine falcon populations have seen an uptick in recent years. At the federal level, the species is categorized as “not at risk,” with the exception of one subspecies that is identified as “special concern” under the Federal Species at Risk Act.
Peregrine falcons, swift hunters that can reach 200 mph, may assist in controlling nuisance pigeon populations. Although pigeons constitute a small fraction of their diet, these formidable predators could deter them from congregating on bridges. This aversion could lead to savings in infrastructure maintenance costs, as pigeon droppings are known to corrode the paint on metal bridge structures.
The live stream can be viewed below.
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
