The Canadian Peregrine Foundation

News Item

Over the past months, we have received many reports of the one footed peregrine, with some great observations and photo's from several members of the community. Many confirmations of the band number have been confirmed, with several photo's clearly showing the black band number that ID's this small male peregrine as Dundas, from the Hamilton nest site.

These past couple of days, Beth Barron has been reporting to us with some additional observations, and some spectacular photo's taken from the live video that she recorded of Dundas. While it has all saddened us to see this poor little peregrine with this type of disability, it appears that so far, he is doing just fine despite the odds against him. Dundas, unlike many of the first year juveniles produced in Ontario did not leave the territory and migrate to warmer places this winter, and has remained in town. Despite the bitter cold, scarce food supply, other avian predators, and missing his right foot - including the loss of all of his toes - he has so far defied all of the odds and seems to be doing very well indeed. While we have no idea as to the cause of his injury (the total loss of his right foot, including all of his toes on the right foot), it appears that he has no problem of catching food - and as pictured, - being able to bring down full size pigeons!!! To have a small male complete this task (with two feet and all toes) is quite amazing, as a adult pigeon is a large size prey for a male peregrine (especially a first year juvenile bird, with only one foot)!!

Stay tuned...............
Mark Nash
CPF

Printed below are Beth Barron's observations, reproduced from the Hamilton sightings page under the date of February the 20th, 2005, as well as her photographs, which are also included in the 2005 Hamilton nest site Gallery.

I observed Dundas (a male notable for his missing right foot) only a few feet from a busy road at Upper Gage and Fennell in Hamilton, Ontario at 4:15pm. He quickly tore apart the carcass of what I believe was a pigeon. People were walking by on the sidewalk and I was able to get about 10 feet away from him. I happened to have a video camera with me and took about 10 minutes of video of him. He still has all of his right leg but has lost about 3/4 of his foot as there is still some yellow apparent on the leg. He was banded on his left leg and used his tail and wing for balance as he ate. I'm no expert on birds but I believe he looked to be in good condition.

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