Young kestrels are learning to fly

The young kestrels that the parent pair at Am Anger 15 has been raising over the past few weeks are taking flight! For the little falcons, this marks their first step toward independence. As is only natural, this means the young birds are now increasingly venturing outside their protected nesting site to practice flying. These days, they can be seen all over our “administrative district”—perched on the backs of benches, bike racks, railings, or simply sitting on the ground. Once again: this behavior is completely normal and marks a stage in life that every “growing” kestrel must go through on its own. Incidentally, the young birds are still being fed by their parents during this time—even outside the nesting site.

Please Observe the Rules of Conduct

In light of this, we ask that you observe the following three rules of conduct:

Please be sure to leave the young birds undisturbed where they are
Avoid unnecessary approach (e.g., for photos); if you’ve chosen your bike seat as a place to sit in the afternoon, you might want to use public transportation for the ride home

And above all:

Do not capture the birds

By following these guidelines, you’ll best help “our” little kestrels take their first steps toward independence.

For the little falcons, every attempt to catch them—even if well-intentioned—means one thing above all else: unimaginable stress. Especially in such situations, the birds try to flee frantically and, in their panic, run the risk of running or flying into passing cars or glass windows, which almost always results in serious injury or death. By contrast, they almost always cope well with the normal routines and dangers of the “urban jungle.”

So let’s celebrate this year’s breeding success together and give the young falcons the peace and quiet they need to grow up!

Drei junge Falken sitzen auf dem Dach der Stadtverwaltung.