Raven Cliff Peregrine Banding – June 2025

The Midwest Peregrine Society banded four peregrine falcon chicks at Raven Cliff on June 18, 2025, with the cooperation of property owner Todd Stivland. As with many nest sites along the North Shore, Raven Cliff is on private land, and Jackie Fallon emphasized her gratitude to landowners who grant access for monitoring and conservation work.

Climber Karla descended the 40–50-foot cliff to the eyrie and placed the chicks into a four-compartment carrier, which was lowered to volunteers below. The chicks—two 14-day-olds weighing 405 and 449 grams and two 15-day-olds weighing 485 and 495 grams—were then banded by Ryan, a Superior National Forest biologist, under the guidance of Jackie Fallon of the Midwest Peregrine Society.

Both adult falcons at the site are unbanded. Throughout the operation, the adults defended their young aggressively, circling the small cove. Property owner Todd Stivland observed alongside his friend Andy Weaver, a falconer and former Peregrine Society volunteer, who assisted with the banding process.

**Birds were handled for the purpose of scientific research under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U. S. Geological Survey and in accordance with all state permitting requirements.

Atop the cliffs, the climbers, Karla and Joe are getting ready.

Adult female circling above the climbers atop the cliff.

Logan gives a thumbs up to the crew below.

Karla climbing down to the eyrie.

At the nest site about half-way down the cliff.

Karla gently places the chicks in the backpack carrier.

She begins to lower the carrier to the volunteers at the bottom of the cliff.

Adult female zeroing in on the threat to her chicks.

If you look closely, you can see Karla at the nest site, climbers above her on the top and volunteers at the bottom, waiting for the carrier.

On the beach, the volunteers take their first peek at the chicks!

Each chick has their own compartment in the backpack carrier.

One of the first tasks is to age the chicks. Andy refers to a guide to age the chicks. After Day 13, a chick can be aged based on length of rectrices (tail feathers) which emerge 2 mm/ day.