HOUGHTON, MI-- A trio of peregrine falcon chicks at the Houghton-Hancock Lift Bridge is more than just interesting—they’re performing a valuable service.
The chicks were born in nest boxes that were placed on the north and south towers by the Michigan Department of Transportation in 2012. A pair of peregrines showed up the next year.
Head bridge operator Robert Paavola says not only do the chicks represent one of a handful of successful nesting sites in the U.P., the birds are also chasing pigeons away from the bridge. He says pigeon droppings can take paint right off a metal bridge, and the number of pigeons on the lift bridge has plummeted since the falcons arrived.
Peregrine falcons are listed as an endangered species in Michigan.
