Hungarian Saker Falcons (4)

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https://www.mavir.hu/web/mavir/feszekmegfigyeles

Only 1 fledgling left. Looks like the smallest has fledged. 

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Empty nest box. Screeching was heard earlier, off camera.

Will the hobbys nest this year?

 

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I can count 3 back int box. 

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What happened before takeoff?

 

In the days before fledging, we observed that the chicks spend most of their time on the perching trees built next to the artificial nest. One reason for this is that they have difficulty enduring the heat radiated by the metal box that has heated up during the heatwave. The other, and perhaps more important reason is that they are exercising on the bars and feel freer, as they have outgrown the nesting box, which interferes with their wing-testing.

 

The chicks are physically prepared to fly away, each of them has the ability to glide to the ground if they get carried away or take a wrong step, or even navigate themselves to a nearby tree line. If the chicks are not in a hurry to fly away, the parents will lure them out. This is achieved, for example, by deliberately carrying less prey, so that the hungry chicks fly away at the call of their parents. After they fly away, the young remain together, and their parents continue to feed them, with the difference that they begin to fly together. The nest is no longer their refuge, the world opens up before them. Sometimes they may look into their birth home, the nest box, where their parents brought them food.

 

 

 

 

 

The moment of departure

 

As we mentioned in our last post, the fledging of the chicks has become timely, according to experts' calculations, the time has come for this to happen on the Whitsun weekend. Judging from the camera footage, all the chicks fledged successfully. Since then, several chicks have repeatedly flown back and stayed in the nesting box.

 

Our colleagues on site observed that the fledglings were mostly perched on the iron bars of the power line pole or on the trees in the nearby row of trees. Their parents brought them food there, as they will not be able to hunt for prey on their own for a while yet.

 

The next few weeks will include learning to fly, as well as recognizing and capturing prey. Then the young birds will begin their migration.

 

 

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As we continue to watch the life of the nest, we may wonder who we see on the screen? It is difficult to answer this question, as five almost identical young falcons, a hen, and an adult male falcon may appear on the other side of the camera.

 

Among the mature birds, you can tell which is a “boy” and which is a “girl” by seeing them together. The males are smaller, have yellower beaks and claws, while the females are larger, and their plumage is paler. The tips of the feathers of adult hawks are pointed, while those of young ones are rounded. The plumage of young ones is not as nuanced, with little transition between brown and white. From these we can tell whether the camera is showing young ones or not. As the years go by, their plumage will resemble their parents. It is very difficult to tell the young ones apart, as all five are well developed and have similar habits.

 

 

 

They appear in the nest from time to time, the primary reason for this is that their parents have been bringing them prey for a long time, from which they could snack.

 

During rainy, stormy weather, it is possible that all the chicks will seek shelter in the nesting box.