Falcon Banding Event

Join Evanston Public Library and The Field Museum's Mary Hennen as we band and officially name the four peregrine falcon chicks that hatched on our library this year.

The Evanston Public Library is excited to welcome four new baby falcon chicks into the world!

On Friday, June 14th, EPL and our partners at the Field Museum’s Chicago Peregrine Program will host a banding and announce the name of our four baby chicks at 10:30 a.m. on the third floor of the Main Library. The public is welcome to join us and watch as Mary Hennen, Director of the Chicago Peregrine Program at The Field Museum, bands the young peregrine falcons. The chicks will be removed from the nest, brought inside, and then returned to the nest after the banding is done, and Hennen will answer questions from the audience.

The Library is also accepting nominations for names for the four chicks. Falcon fans are encouraged to submit their name ideas, and the names of the four birds will be announced at the banding.

Peregrine falcons have been nesting on the Main Library since 2004, a welcome sight after the species were nearly eradicated by pesticides in the mid-twentieth century. The species has made an incredible rebound thanks to regulation of pollutants, programs like the Chicago Peregrine Project, and the work of volunteers like the birders of the Evanston Peregrine Falcon Watch Group. Peregrines are fast fliers and can reach speeds of up to 69 mph when directly pursuing prey.

The current couple, a male named Coach Kevin and a female named Teca, are nesting on the library for their third year. Watch the birds live at epl.org/falconcam.

For more information on our falcons, visit epl.org/falcons.

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