Austin A. Davis 35th Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania Department Of Education
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will livestream the banding of peregrine falcon nestlings from the Rachel Carson State Office Building on May 22, 2025. The event, organized by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), will be available at 10 AM on DEP's Facebook page and PAcast.
"For over two decades, peregrine falcons have nested on the Rachel Carson State Office Building in downtown Harrisburg - the longest active nest site in Pennsylvania," stated DEP Acting Secretary Jessica Shirley. "It's fitting that so many falcons have been born and raised on the building that bears Rachel Carson's name."
Patti Barber, an Endangered Bird Specialist with PGC, will oversee the banding process. This includes weighing the nestlings, inspecting their health, and attaching light metal bands for identification purposes. This year three nestlings are to be banded, although not all will appear in the livestream.
Falcon banding is essential for tracking these birds' movements and understanding their flight patterns and nesting behaviors. Reports of sighted bands can be submitted to ReportBand.gov. Falcons from this site have been spotted along the Atlantic coast from Florida to Canada.
Though removed from federal endangered status in 1999 and Pennsylvania's threatened list in 2021, peregrine falcons remain protected under various wildlife laws.
In coming weeks, volunteers from Falcon Watch and Rescue will monitor young falcons as they learn to fly near their nesting site. Those interested in volunteering can contact Sue Hannon at hbgfalconwatch@gmail.com.
Since its inception in 2002, this nesting site has seen 90 eggs hatch successfully.
Further information is available on DEP's website or through their social media channels.
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