4 Fresh Falcons Banded, Given Names At Evanston Public Library

EVANSTON, IL — Four juvenile peregrine falcons were named and banded Tuesday at the Evanston Public Library, where they recently hatched. A crowd of about 150 people watched as scientists from the Field Museum applied bands to the birds' legs and took blood samples. Names of the three male falcon chicks were chosen by contest winners, while the one female was named after the library's chief administrator.

The falcon nest on the library's fourth floor has been occupied since 2004. Its current residents are a 2-year-old female named Fay and a male dubbed Squawker, a 13-year library patron and their recent offspring, three males and one female.

Last April, the pair abandoned the nest with their last remaining eyass (a baby falcon) after one egg failed to hatch and another chick died. This year, their brood survived and the quartet of chicks are expected take flight on their own soon.

All four eyasses were hatched in mid-April, according to a group that observes Evanston's only peregrine falcons nest via the library's online FalconCam.

Chicago Peregrine Program Director Mary Hennen and Josh Engel, an ornithologist at the Field Museum removed the chicks from their nest for the event. According to the library, Hennen requested the opportunity to name one of the falcons.

At the June 12 banding event Hennen announced the name of the female eyass would be Karen, the director of the Evanston Public Library over the past six years.

The trio of young male falcons were named Tango, Lightning Bolt and Ford Falcon.

"It brought tears to my eyes," said Danczak Lyons, The Daily Northwestern reported. “I knew she had a name selected but I had no idea it was mine.” She said the way the town has embraced the falcons demonstrates Evanston's character.

According to the peregrine program, one of falcons who was hatched in the library nest is now an adult male in Rockford successfully raising

Watch the Evanston Falcon Cam