BWL to Band Baby Peregrine Falcons at Erickson Power Station

NOTE: Media is invited to attend, but should wear long pants and closed toe shoes.

The Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL), in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will band four baby peregrine falcons called eyasses tomorrow, Wednesday, June 7 at 9am.

WHERE: BWL’s Erickson Power Station Conference Room, 3725 S. Canal Rd., Lansing, MI

WHEN: Wednesday, June 7, 9am

WHAT: The chicks will be assessed to determine sex, banded to help track migration patterns and will also be named.

This is the first year BWL has banded peregrines at the Erickson Power Station. Four eyasses were born to an unbanded female, Ericka, and banded male, Eckert. Unnamed at his banding day in 2009, Eckert picked up his name when he landed in BWL’s Eckert nest in 2012, where he nested with female “WC” in 2012 and 2013, and then with Viper from 2014-2016. 

Last week, three males, Thomas, Fred and Sailor, and one female, Sarah, were banded at BWL’s Eckert Power Station. Born to mom, Millie, a female banded in Chicago’s Millennium Park in 2019, and dad, Newman, an unbanded male, this is their first year as a mating pair. 

Since 2004, the BWL has hosted a nesting site atop the Eckert Power Station for endangered peregrine falcons. In 2022, a new camera was installed at Erikson Power Station when a second pair of peregrines successfully had a clutch. To date, nearly 80 eggs have been laid. The public can watch a 24-hour live stream inside both BWL falcon nests by clicking here.

The peregrine falcon is renowned for its speed, reaching over 200mph during its characteristic hunting high speed dive, making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom and remains on Michigan’s endangered species list.