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Love the Spartan Stadium Falcons? Donate to our MSU Giving site to support the project!
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Spartan Stadium Falcon Box MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club installed a peregrine falcon nest box on the roof of Spartan Stadium in January, 2022. This project was designed to promote urban wildlife conservation of a state-endangered species while providing outreach opportunities to students and the public. This project was generously funded by donations from MSU Forestry Department, private donors, and a grant from Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU).
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Make sure to check out the timeline below for the most recent news on the falcons!
Peregrine Falcon Information
Peregrine Falcon Information
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Peregrine Falcons in Michigan
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Peregrine Falcons in America
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FALCON BOX 2023 TIMELINE
Falcon Box 2023 Timeline
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February 19th 2023: Freyja the female falcon returns to campus and is sighted for the first time this year on the livestream! |
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February 28th 2023: Apollo the male falcon returns joining Freyja at the falcon box |
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March 1st 2023: First news story of the year featuring Club President Molly Engelman "Peregrine falcon couple returns to MSU" written by Scott Pohl with WKAR Public Media |
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March 2nd 2023: Club Wildlife Chair, Endi Piovesana, is interviewed by WILX News 10 about the falcons' return after the tragic event on campus February 13th "MSU falcons bring positive energy in midst of campus tragedy" Interview by Ta'Niyah Jordan with WILX News 10 |
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March 24th 2023: Freyja lays her first egg of the season! |
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March 26th 2023: Freyja lays egg number two of the season! |
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March 28th 2023: Freyja lays egg number three of the season! Some days later, she lays egg number 4! |
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March 31st: The club hosts Chili Cookoff at Corey Marsh Ecological Research Center and votes to name the new soon-to-be-hatched falcons. April 1st 2023: The State News publishes a story on the event and the falcons. "Community votes to decide names for baby peregrine falcons raised at MSU" written by PJ Pfeiffer with The State News |
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April 30th: In the early morning, the first chick, Swooper, hatches. |
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April 30th-May 1st: An eventful night with two more chicks hatching: Egbert and Muhammad. |
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May 3rd: The last chick of the clutch hatches: Pickles! |
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May 24th: The falcon chicks get banded with help from members of the club! Jim Schneider, Dr. Jen Owen, and Chad Fedewa from the DNR organized the event. 
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May 24th: Article published by the' gander on the banding event. "Fuzzy Falcon Chicks Who Nest at Michigan State Football Stadium Get Tracking Bands" by Associated Press. |
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succes
Week of June 3rd-4th: Two chicks take their first steps out of the box and all 4 chicks successfully fledge! |
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July 5th: Pickles (R-71) was involved in an accident and survives with the help of the Wildside Rehabilitation Center. He is no longer able to fly and will not be released back into the wild but will serve as an ambassador for his species. |
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FALCON BOX 2022 TIMELINE
Falcon Box 2022 Timeline
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January 28th 2022: The falcon box is installed on the Spartan Stadium |
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February 7th 2022:
Members of the club are featured in an article by The State News discussing the falcon box project "Peregrine falcons on Spartan Stadium make their grand debut" Written by Selma Cogo with The State News |
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February 24th 2022: MSU Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF) publishes an article about the falcon box project and installation "Making a Home for Falcons at Spartan Stadium" Written by Danielle Fowler Thanks again to the folks over at IPF for helping the club with the installation! |
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March 24th 2022: The falcon box livestream officially goes live on the MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club YouTube channel |
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March 29th 2022: The falcon lays her first egg of the season Club President Molly Engelman is interviewed by WKAR News about the falcon box project "Peregrine falcons move into Spartan Stadium nesting box" Interview by Scott Pohl with WKAR News |
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March 30th 2022:
Wildlife Chair Evan Griffis is interviewed by WILX News 10 about the falcon box project "Worlds Fastest animal now making its home at Spartan Stadium" Interview by Claudia Sella with WILX News 10 |
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April 1st 2022: The falcon lays her second egg of the season |
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April 3rd 2022: The falcon lays her third egg of the season |
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April 5th 2022: The falcon lays her fourth egg of the season A Fox 47 News interview with Club President Molly Engelman and Club Treasurer Eddie Yago is aired on TV "Two peregrine falcons make Spartan Stadium their home" Interview by Yasmeen Ludy with Fox 47 News |
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May 6th 2022:
The peregrine couple receive their official names, suggested and voted for by MSU undergrads. Say hello to Freyja and Apollo! So who's who?: Freyja (top left) is larger, and her beak and talons are more yellow. Apollo (top right) is smaller, and his beak and talons are more orange. The first falcon egg hatches Fun Fact: Baby peregrine falcons are called eyases (singular: eyas) |
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May 7th 2022: The second falcon egg hatches |
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May 9th 2022:
The third falcon egg hatches Club President Molly Engelman is interviewed by the WKAR News about the falcon eggs hatching "Falcon chicks hatch at Spartan Stadium" Interview by Scott Pohl with WKAR News |
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May 31st 2022: The falcon chicks are banded. There are 2 females and 1 male. DNR wildlife biologist Chad Fedewa is interviewed by the WKAR News about banding the falcon chicks "DNR bands peregrine falcon chicks at Spartan Stadium" Interview by Scott Pohl with WKAR News |
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June 2nd 2022: A Fox 47 News Interview with Club President Molly Engelman and Club Treasurer Eddie Yago is aired "Spartan baby falcons get banded to help researchers" Interview by Yasmeen Ludy with Fox 47 News |
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June 8th 2022:
The falcon chick names are officially announced. Say hello to Gus, Stella, and Farah! Special thanks to Mrs. Vuckovich's 5th grade class at Sheridan Road STEM Elementary School and Mrs. Berry's students at the Utica Center for Science and Industry for the name suggestions! |
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June 12th 2022: The falcon chicks begin to venture outside of the nest |
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June 15th 2022: All three falcon chicks have officially left the nest! |
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June 22nd 2022: MSU Today publishes an article and video about the falcon box project |
The MSU FW Club wishes to thank all those involved in the funding, creation, installation, and support of the falcon box project. It would not be possible without the amazing support from all of you!
