Peregrine Falcon Nesting in Evanston, Illinois

May 15th, 2001 update: Pair nesting beneath new window (better drained ledge). Nest has 4 eggs, hatching expected around Memorial Day, fledging of young expected around the 4th of July.

There are only about 140 nesting pairs of Peregrine Falcons in the US; at least five reside in the greater Chicago area. Back in December of 1997, I noticed a hunting Peregrine along the Wilmette lakefront that gave me suspicion it might be overwintering in the area. The following year, in November 1998, I noticed a falcon hunting in Evanston past their expected migratory period. Further reports in the downtown area led to the discovery of a pair using the United Methodist church steeple as a winter roost. Nesting the following spring was expected as the pair was noted spending time west of their winter roost. Despite the nest site seemingly identified, there were no eggs present in late April, leading to speculation that no nesting had occured (Peregrines should be on nests in early April). It wasn't until July of 1999 that successful nesting was confirmed when an adult was feeding fully grown young north of the downtown movie theatre.

The same storyline repeated thru the next year with the same pair living the whole year in Evanston, hunting the lakefront up to Wilmette's Gillson Park, down the North Shore Channel south to Dempster Street and east back to Lake Michigan. When the spring of 2000 arrived, effort was expended getting permission from various downtown building managers to examine potential nest ledges. Finally, in late April, the male was seen flying down Church Street carrying food and calling loudly. It landed on a ledge adjacent to a 3rd story window of the Evanston Galleria building and presented the food to a female that appeared from below the ledge! The nest had been found! Here's a picture of the female (named 'Zoom') brooding on eggs in the nest.

The nest itself is a small depression formed in the mud on the top ledge of a five story building - that is until the rains came, washing the mud around on this gutter/ledge and taking away the mud depression. This picture shows the eggs lying flat on the mud on May 12th, 2000---->

Unfortunately, it was a rainy May in 2000, such that the eggs ended up standing in pools of cold water for hours at length. This no doubt was the main factor in causing egg sterility. In late May, Zoom was still brooding, but note in the photo to the left that the egg color has now changed to a pale brown suggesting sterility has already occurred. By July 1st, the nest was abandoned and one egg had been cracked open.

Zoom is a female Peregrine that was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the summer of 1997.  Including the 2001 nest season, this is the 3rd straight year (and maybe 4th) of nesting for this pair on a third floor ledge along the eastern facade of the Evanston Galleria building. Here's a closeup picture of Zoom jealously guarding her nestsite.

The nesting season is well underway in 2001 and once again, it'll depend on how wet the season is as to whether or not the nest will succeed. Furthermore, the female falcon may be a new one as Zoom seemed to disappear in the middle of the winter and a female didn't reappear until February 24th. No confirmation yet as to whether this is a new bird.

As is typical of most falcon nests, they are exposed to the air above but surrounded by a small safety ledge. Thus, Zoom and her nest cannot be seen from the ground.  But you may get lucky and see her mate bring food to her.  Certainly when the young hatch by early June, there will be alot more activity at the nest site.

    The male bird often perches on the fourth floor of the fire escape in the alley a half block to the east of the nest (i.e. alley just west of McDonald's off of Church Street).  From this vantage, the bird can see over the two story intervening 'Barnes and Noble' building and keep a close eye on his nest.  He also has a feeding platform on the top ledge of the top window in the northwest corner of 'The Park' building (adjacent to the Whole Foods store and about a half block east of the aforementioned alley). This building is located at 1630 Chicago Avenue.  The Peregrine will catch prey and often fly here to pick it apart to eat it.  Recent rooftop observation of this location explained the missing American Coot from the nearby Evanston Boat Launch - numerous other feathers suggested a variety of birds had been recently eaten. During May, a Common Tern was found at this boat launch area, bloodied and killed by one of the falcons. I've seen them hunt all sorts of birds along the lakefront including sparrows, woodpeckers, gulls, typically prefering the medium-sized avains for a possible meal. Rock Doves form their year round staple of food.

Where might I see the falcons in action?   Click here for nest location (marked by a star) and nearby mentioned areas: Falcon Nest Location