Meet Baby Falcons Marigold and Gribley, the Library's Newest Arrivals

A pair of falcons has nested on top of the Evanston Public Library every year for the past nine years. On Thursday, scientists banded this spring’s babies, a boy and a girl, and the library announced their names to the public.

If these chicks had a manager, they would be charging for appearances. Already stars of their own live-streaming “falcon cam,” the pair of baby peregrine falcons who recently hatched on top of the Evanston Public Library drew a crowd of kids and bird lovers Thursday, when they were introduced to the world and banded for identification. As local photographers jockeyed for the perfect shot, Field Museum scientist Mary Hennen and Shedd Aquarium scientist Matt Gies passed a ladder out the library’s third floor window for the short hike up to the rooftop ledge where the falcons make their home. Wearing bicycle helmets in case the parents attacked, they picked up the baby falcons, put them in a cardboard box and brought them back inside the …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (9)
• Videos (1)

Jennifer Fisher

9:47 am on Friday, June 1, 2012

I agree, I'm amazed that they can fly 200 miles per hour! I would love to see one dive-bomb a pigeon.   more ›

Evanston Library's Mother Falcon Takes to Twitter

Nona, the peregrine falcon who is raising her family atop the Evanston Public Library, has started a Twitter account. When she's not occupied feeding her fledglings or watching over the eggs that have yet to hatch, the busy mom shares her thoughts.

Joining Twitter luminaries @justinbieber, @ladygaga and Evanston's own satirical @mayoremanuel is Nona, the peregrine falcon who's raising her family atop the Evanston Public Library. Since April 24, Nona has been sharing her thoughts via @EplFalcon. "I'm one of the fastest creatures on earth, I live at the Evanston Public Library, and I'm lovin' life," is how Nona describes herself. Related: Photos: 2 Falcon Fledglings Hatched, 2 to Go Recently, the busy mom tweeted about her two fledglings that have hatched and even shared a photo of feeding time.  She also commented on the demands of motherhood, given two more eggs have yet to hatch. "When the others are out, keeping them all in line will be interesting," she tweeted on Monday. "I only …

• Photos (1)

About Town

Birds' Eye View: Baby Sparrows In A Bird House

Watch as these little chicks grow up before your eyes.

I hung a birdhouse outside our dining room window two or three years ago. It remained vacant until this year, after I put some birdseed and nesting material inside the structure.  Then, just before Father’s Day, I noticed some tiny little mouths peeping through the lowest opening of the house…and realized we had a family growing up just outside our window. I’ve come to learn that they’re house sparrows.  Males and females help care for their young (that is, if they don’t eat them) until they’re grown.  I’ve never been interested in birds, but after the Northwestern swallows were pointed out to me, I’ve started to pay a bit more attention.  I’d never even seen the baby falcons at the Evanston Public Library, but the view from my dining room…

•  2 Comments
• Videos (1)