Tag Archives: territorial disputes amongst falcons

Oops, Grinnell update

Lindsay Wildlife Clinic in Walnut Creek, California just posted an update on Grinnell. Grinnell is one of the UC Berkeley Peregrine Falcons. His mate is Annie and their natal nest is on top of the Campanile. Grinnell was involved in an altercation, protecting his territory, with an intruder male. He was found on the 29th sitting on a trash can unable to fly with multiple injuries. He was taken to the Lindsay Wildlife Clinic where he underwent surgery.

This is their update today:

GRINNELL UPDATE, AND THANK YOU: Grinnell the Peregrine Falcon continues recovering from his injuries in our wildlife hospital. The surgical site on his wing is healing and he underwent additional radiographs on Nov. 2 to check the bruising on his right leg. He is eating well (he’s pictured here with a full crop after dining on a quail) and our veterinary team expects it will take 10-14 days to heal from his injuries. On Grinnell’s behalf, we would like to thank everyone for their well wishes and for their donations and support as we work to return him to the wild, where he belongs. Photos by Dr. Krystal Woo, Lead Wildlife Veterinarian.

So glad he is doing well. Hang in there, Annie. Grinnell will be home shortly. If you wish to make a donation, go to the Lindsay Wildlife Clinic FB Page. There is a donate button.

Thank you to the Lindsay Wildlife Clinic FB Page where I took this screen capture.

Grinnell is in care

I am so grateful to one of my readers (Thank you, B) for reminding me about Grinnell. Sadly, I had been monitoring Diamond and my note about Grinnell had gotten lost in the pages. I feel really bad because we all care so much for Annie and Grinnell.

Everyone loves Grinnell! Grinnell is the partner of Peregrine Falcon, Annie. They have their scrape at the UC-Berkeley Campanile in San Francisco. I know many of you watch the streaming cam of the couple raising their eyases. This season Annie and Grinnell raised three male hatches to fledge: Wek-Wek, Fauci, and Kaknu.

This is part of the original announcement appearing in the UC Berkeley News:

“Grinnell, the UC Berkeley campus’s beloved male peregrine falcon, was found injured southeast of campus on Friday following a fight with a pair of peregrine falcons and is being treated at the Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital in Walnut Creek. The incident is raising questions about whether he and Annie, his longtime mate, who likely also was there during the attack, can hold onto their home atop the Campanile, where they’ve raised their young for five years.

It is possible that the new pair is trying to take over the territory,” said Mary Malec, a member of Cal Falcons who monitors local raptor nests for the East Bay Regional Park District. “In other territories, sometimes the fight ends with one skirmish, and sometimes the fights last over many days.”

The rehabbers posted this:

It is very fortunate that Grinnell did not break any bones. However, the tip of his top beak is broken. There is also a wound on his head, an injury on his left wing, feathers missing under his chin, and various abrasions on his body, according to the wildlife clinic.

Sadly, territorial fights are not unusual especially when the real estate is as prime as it is at the Campanile.

The Campanile at Berkeley. Grinnell and Annie raise their chicks above the bell.

The UC Falcon FB page has reported that the male intruder has gone into the scrape box and is trying to court Annie. Here he is on the streaming cam. So it appears that it is a lone male as opposed to a couple.

Grinnell will be kept until he is fit to return to the wild. It is not easy for the birds to live in the wild….human causes and territorial fights often mean death or major injuries. We will have to wait and see what happens.

Please send your most positive thoughts out to Grinnell, Annie his long time mate, and also to Diamond who is healing in Orange, Australia today.

Thank you for joining me today. Please take care everyone.

Thank you to ‘B’ for reminding me of Grinnell’s injury and sending me the link to the reports and to UC Cal Falcons streaming cam and FB Page where I took my screen captures.