PEABODY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Two Peregrine Falcons have made themselves at home in the eaves of Peabody City Hall.
The falcons are quite rare in Massachusetts, with the species listed as one of special concern. Only around 45 pairs of the birds are known to live in the state.
After notifying the mayor, Massachusetts Fisheries & Wildlife built the falcon pair a nesting box on the City Hall roof. Mayor Ted Bettencourt said in a post on Facebook that Fisheries and Wildlife experts had told him the birds were likely expecting chicks.
Wayne Petersen of Mass Audubon explains that "...Because they're such spectacular flyers, they take their prey out of the air....from a lofty perch like the City Hall in Peabody, they can no doubt get a pretty good view of the countryside," where the birds can catch prey.
Peregrine Falcons are the fastest birds on earth, and have been recorded flying at speeds of up to 242 miles per hour.
WBZ's Karyn Regal (@Karynregal) reports:
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(Photo: Karyn Regal/WBZ NewsRadio)