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Falcon takes first flight
A peregrine falcon that hatched earlier this year took its first flight. (Courtesy: We Energies)
MILWAUKEE - We Energies announced that five of the peregrine falcon chicks that hatched this year have now left the nest.
What we know:
Scott, Atlanta, Eclispe, Leopold and Breezer have taken their first flights. Over the next few weeks, they'll be learning how to hunt prey and master their flying skills. After that, they will fly off in separate directions to start their own lives.
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The backstory:
There were 12 falcon chicks born at We Energies power plants this spring. Each was given names in honor of one of the falcon program's "founding feathers".
- Atlanta: Atlanta was born at the former Pulliam Power Plant in 1996, and produced 41 chicks in her 12 years there.
- Scott: Scott nested in Oak Creek for 11 years. He raised 28 chicks between 2006 and 2016.
- Eclipse: Eclipse was the female falcon at the Oak Creek Power Plant from 2011 to 2017. She was born in Ohio in 2009.
- Leopold: Leopold raised 42 chicks at the Pleasant Prairie Power Plant in 1992.
We Energies peregrine falcon chicks named, 1st of 2025
We Energies on Wednesday revealed the names of four peregrine falcon chicks that hatched at the Oak Creek Power Plant.
What's next:
Though the parent falcons in Oak Creek and at the Valley Power Plant in Milwaukee are officially empty nesters, there's still plenty of action on the We Energies and Wisconsin Public Service live nest box cameras.
The chicks born at the Weston Power Plant and Port Washington Generating Station are younger and will likely stick around for a few more days or weeks.
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The backstory:
The We Energies Falcon Program was created to reduce the amount of extinction for peregrine falcons. Since the recovery efforts began in 1992, this year’s class of chicks brings the total number of peregrines hatched, named and banded at We Energies and WPS power plants to 465.
This is almost 20% of all peregrine falcons born in the state of Wisconsin.
The Source: Information in this report is from We Energies and prior FOX6 News coverage of the falcon program.