BWL to Band Baby Peregrine Falcons at Eckert 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, Tuesday, May 14 at 9:30am.

WHERE: BWL’s Eckert’s Power Station Conference Room, 601 Island Ave., Lansing, MI

WHEN: Tuesday, May 14, 9:30am

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

On April 22-24 at the BWL Eckert Power Station nest, four eyasses were born to an unbanded male, Newman, and banded female, Millie. Millie, a female banded in Chicago’s Millennium Park in 2019, and Newman had their first clutch at Eckert in 2023.

On May 4 and 5 at the BWL Erickson Power Station nest, four eyasses hatched to banded male, Eckert, and unbanded female, Ericka. 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. In 2022, he returned to the Erickson nesting site with Ericka.

The peregrine falcon was recently elevated from Michigan’s endangered species list to “critical,” and therefore this will mark BWL’s final year of banding. The cameras will continue to remain at both nest locations.

“We’re proud to have helped – even in a small way – move the peregrine falcon off the endangered species list and help its population thrive,” said BWL General Manager Dick Peffley.

Since 2004, the BWL has hosted a nesting site atop the Eckert Power Station for endangered peregrine falcons. To date, over 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.