A peregrine falcon released at Rock City June 18 remains in the area as handlers work to wean the rare bird from food they provide as it learns to hunt food on its own.
The young bird was from a nest in the Dunwoody section of metro Atlanta. The mother of the peregrine was only 2 years old and inexperienced in raising young. She wasn't helping feed the pair, and onnce the youngsters got older, the father peregrine simply could not provide enough food. One of the youngsters was killed. The other was brought to Rock City for rehab and release.
The young peregrine is being called Fourscore, a name chosen by Rock City’s Facebook friends as a synonym for the number 80 in honor of the 80th anniversary of the park and gardens.
“You can see Fourscore if you sit at Lover’s Leap for a while,” said Jeff Raabe, director of operations for Rock City Gardens. “He has not yet learned to hunt, so he’s being fed by John and Dale Stokes at the hack box. They will work with him to wean him off feedings so that he can survive on his own in the wild.”
