General

A new quartet of eggs for OPPD falcons

Four new peregrine falcon chicks will soon call OPPD’s North Omaha Station home.

Last week, Clark, the resident female, laid two eggs in the falcon box atop a stack at the power plant. Over the weekend, she added a third to the nest. And on Monday, a fourth was spotted. Father Lewis has been in and out to check on the family. Observers believe Clark took up permanent residence at the OPPD box in the fall of 2015, eventually settling down with a mate to hatch two chicks.

Peregrine falcons are busy

There was some confusion last year when Clark began to lay her eggs. Because, as her name implies, she was believed to be male when she was banded in Lincoln with her brother, Lewis. Yes, Lewis is both Clark’s brother and mate.

In 2020, the pair raised three chicks, which were banded before they fully fledged from the nest. OPPD held a naming contest for the trio and plans to do the same with the latest clutch of chicks.

Clark could still lay more eggs this spring, so watch the utility’s live webcam to stay up-to-date on all the action. The camera is part of a new falcon box that was installed in 2019.

Spring and summer are busy times in the box. New chicks hatch, feed and grow until they finally take their first steps and flights beyond the box. Peregrine falcon eggs take approximately 33 days to hatch. The birds of prey can lay up to four eggs each year.

Large family

Clark and Lewis, born in 2012, continue a large – and long – line of peregrine falcons who originated from a pair living at the state capitol in Lincoln. The parents have been together since 2005.

The Lincoln falcons have three groups of “grandchicks.” In addition to the pair at the OPPD box, another pair resides at the Woodmen Tower in downtown Omaha, and a third lives in a box at an Envergy power plant in Kansas.

A Facebook group is closely following the activity of the Lincoln pair as well as all of their offspring.