On Tuesday May 7th we again ringed the chicks of the Peregrine Falcons nesting in the bell tower of the “Church of our Lady” (Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk) in Sint Niklaas, Belgium. Four healthy chicks received a metal academic ring and on the other leg a metal colour ring (black ring and white inscription) which can be read with a telescope.
Peregrine Falcons are encouraged to breed in Churches and high buildings in many European cities as a means of controlling populations of feral pigeons. While effective, the falcons do not restrict themselves to pigeons and their diet includes a wide range of resident and migrating species of bird. They are helped in this by flood lighting and city lights in general, which both attracts migrants and allows the falcons to continue hunting into the night.
