!!! Girl Power!
September 03, 2009 - Etobicoke - Sun Life Centre
Kathy Reports:
What a sight this morning, Angel on the corner of the East Tower and Elena on the corner of the West Tower. I could see them from two blocks away - these two large females both in exactly the same positions facing each other across the towers!
Yesterday morning both of them were on the sign perched together eating breakfast and then Angel flew off to her cam eventually and Elena flew to a ledge on the back of the nest site building to get some shade.
From my point of view, it’s been an absolute delight to watch both Angel and Elena still interacting at this late date. It’s like they are sisters hanging out together. Last year the juvies were dispered by this time with occassional sightings every few weeks but this is the first time I’ve seen one stay so close to home. More interesting is that Angel is not only tolerating her presence but seems to be enjoying it. Perhaps because Jack has not been around, she appreciates having an extra pair of talons to protect her site or perhaps this type of behaviour goes on more than we think in urban settings. I know at certain nest sites in Europe, juveniles returning the next Spring were not only tolerated but in one case in the UK - the previous years female offspring was actually allowed to help in the feeding of mom’s current offspring which previously had been unheard of! I expect Elena will leave soon though in order to migrate..we’ll have to see and if she does, she will certainly benefit from this additional time spent with Angel learning to hone her skills.
I had a report late last night that someone has spotted Jack, our resident male over the past 4-5 days near the residential site. Perhaps given that it’s migration season he’s positioned himself between his two territories so he can ensure that no other falcon wandering through the area gets any ideas about trying for one of his sites! As I mentioned before he has apparently bonded with the female at a private site this summer after her mate was seriously injured during nesting season.
I have done some research on ‘bigamous’ male falcons and have found a few interesting papers written by US biologists and it seems it has to do with ‘territory’ and nothing to do with wanting two mates! In all cases reported - a male at an adjoining site had been injured and/or disappeared and the male at the adjoining nest site saw it as an opportunity to either expand his territory or reclaim what had originally been part of his existing territory. Unfortunately the rate of success for maintaining two nest sites and successfully raising two sets of eyases is not very good and those that have succeeded had only done so with the assistance of humans.
It will be interesting to see whether or not he can keep both sites and if he does - what will happen next Spring if the residential male is recovered and released. Never a dull moment in the Falcon World!