Peregrine Falcon on the Mall, Nov 13
Jim Felley (IRMSS668@SIVM.SI.EDU)
Mon, 16 Nov 98 09:44:06 EST
I saw an immature Peregrine Falcon on the Mall opposite the
National Museum of American History on Friday afternoon,
November 13. As I was walking to the metro, all the starlings,
pigeons and gulls in the area came up in a big rush. While
this can happen for various reasons (kids throwing popcorn
further down the mall, a jet taking off), there were a couple
of clues to the presence of a hawk: (1) the pigeons were all
trying to get under the nearest trees, (2) the gulls were heading
off the mall (1 and 2 eliminate kids with food), and (3) (the
unambiguous indicator) a flock of starlings formed up into a
tight "fighter wing" ball. This behavior means that the hawk is
nearby, and often the fighter wing will go after it!
Sure enough, an immature peregrine dove at the flock but
couldn't break it up. After the falcon passed the starlings they
began following it, the flock and the falcon each trying to
gain altitude on the other.
These maneuvers took took the group towards the Natural
History Museum. The falcon apparently decided it had
had enough fun. It powered off and the starlings returned to
their trees. I had a good opportunity to inspect the falcon.
It was more than double the size of a starling, brownish overall
and streaked with brown underneath, which leads me to the ID of
Peregrine Falcon, immature. Note that a couple of weeks ago there
was another report of a Peregrine on Mall, being mobbed by crows.
I'll keep my eyes open for more.
Jim
Jim Felley
Smithsonian Institution
irmss668@sivm.si.edu