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It’s not too often one finds something surprising four stories above the ground, but workers at Pittsburg State did early this month.
While working to repair the decorative stone on Russ Hall, workers uncovered a nest with six fledgling birds of prey.
At first the workers believed the birds to be peregrine falcons, so they called Rob Riggin, public land manager with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. When Riggin arrived, he recognized that the birds were not peregrine falcons, but rather American kestrels.
The kestrel, also known as a sparrow hawk, is a protected species under federal law. The bird is the smallest and most widespread North American falcon. The bird feeds on small birds, small mammals like mice, and sometimes bugs.
Riggin said that before he arrived, the workers saw a kestrel swoop and pluck a starling out of the sky. Once Riggin arrived, he saw adult kestrels raid a starling nest, feeding young starlings to the young kestrels.
“These birds are not that rare. They’re one of the more common birds of prey. But they are one of the more unique ones,” Riggin said. “They’re like the F-16s of birds of prey. They have long, pointed wings and a long rudder-type tail.”
The American kestrel is a federally protected bird, meaning workers had to take extra precaution not to disturb the birds.
After Riggin took a look at the situation, he advised the workers to move 50 feet away from the birds, to work the perimeter of the building and to come back to the location of the kestrels. These were all precautions until the kestrel chicks took flight, which they have since done.
“There wasn’t a huge stress factor for the birds; they were right at home,” Riggin said. “There is pigeon and starling problems in town, and some people play peregrine falcon sounds to scare those birds off. The kestrel sounds similar, and we do have some kestrels in town. I’d never seen one there at Pitt State, but it didn’t surprise me.”
The company that found the kestrel nest, Atkins Weatherproofing from Springfield, Mo., did the right thing in calling, Riggin said.
“These guys were conscientious,” Riggin said. “We were impressed with their concern for the birds and flexibility in working around the situation.”
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or (620) 231-2600 ext. 132.
It’s not too often one finds something surprising four stories above the ground, but workers at Pittsburg State did early this month.
While working to repair the decorative stone on Russ Hall, workers uncovered a nest with six fledgling birds of prey.
At first the workers believed the birds to be peregrine falcons, so they called Rob Riggin, public land manager with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. When Riggin arrived, he recognized that the birds were not peregrine falcons, but rather American kestrels.
The kestrel, also known as a sparrow hawk, is a protected species under federal law. The bird is the smallest and most widespread North American falcon. The bird feeds on small birds, small mammals like mice, and sometimes bugs.
Riggin said that before he arrived, the workers saw a kestrel swoop and pluck a starling out of the sky. Once Riggin arrived, he saw adult kestrels raid a starling nest, feeding young starlings to the young kestrels.
“These birds are not that rare. They’re one of the more common birds of prey. But they are one of the more unique ones,” Riggin said. “They’re like the F-16s of birds of prey. They have long, pointed wings and a long rudder-type tail.”
The American kestrel is a federally protected bird, meaning workers had to take extra precaution not to disturb the birds.
After Riggin took a look at the situation, he advised the workers to move 50 feet away from the birds, to work the perimeter of the building and to come back to the location of the kestrels. These were all precautions until the kestrel chicks took flight, which they have since done.
“There wasn’t a huge stress factor for the birds; they were right at home,” Riggin said. “There is pigeon and starling problems in town, and some people play peregrine falcon sounds to scare those birds off. The kestrel sounds similar, and we do have some kestrels in town. I’d never seen one there at Pitt State, but it didn’t surprise me.”
The company that found the kestrel nest, Atkins Weatherproofing from Springfield, Mo., did the right thing in calling, Riggin said.
“These guys were conscientious,” Riggin said. “We were impressed with their concern for the birds and flexibility in working around the situation.”
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or (620) 231-2600 ext. 132.
