Tosa's Falcons Are Taking Flight

Three peregrine falcon sisters that were white balls of downy fluff just three weeks ago are now dressed in sleek, dark flight feathers, and they are testing their wings.

One, in fact, flew the coop Monday, and the two remaining in the nest box atop the We Energies Milwaukee County Power Plant on the County Grounds appear ready to try free flight at any minute.

The raptors were banded on June 18, at about three weeks old, and given the names Abigail, Stella and Vita. We Energies spokeswoman Cathy Schulze wasn't sure which one had flown Monday.

You can watch the sisters practice – or maybe be lucky enough to see one of them take off – on We Energies live webcam. As of noon Tuesday, two birds were still on the box.

This is the final measure of the success of a nesting pair of falcons – "fledging."

First of all, a pair of falcons must be attracted to a nest site, mate and produce fertile eggs. For any or all eggs in a nest to hatch is still only part way there – some babies fail to thrive or don't get enough food. Some fall to their deaths.

Those that survive – in this case, all – reach the first stage of fledging, which is growing out their flight feathers, and finally must make the great leap, at just six weeks.

No longer huddling in the back of the nest box, they spend their time on the perilous edge, testing their wings by flapping furiously in place.

The moment comes, though, when each youngster must achieve liftoff – and most who reach this point do manage to fly, which seems remarkable to us earthbounders, considering they only get one try to get it right.

If Abigail, Stella and Vita all become free-flying falcons in the next few days, Greg Septon, the We Energies peregrine program manager, will note, "all fledged," meaning all the young in the nest were successfully reared and took flight.

Once flying, Wauwatosa's now adolescent falcon sisters must perfect the art and apply it to learning to hunt.

The girls' mom – who unfortunately was never given a name – is a first-time mother, so she earns an asterisk for a job well done.

The falcons found the County Grounds nest box this year for the first time. It had been installed in 2007, and Septon patiently waited, keeping it maintained year after year and ready for this event.