General

Pigeons turn OPPD falcon box into vacation home

Some unexpected guests spent several days recently vacationing in the peregrine falcon box at OPPD’s North Omaha Station.

Four pigeons have been enjoying sunny days high above the facility, relaxing in the box or taking in the scenery while strolling the walkway outside.

Since falcons view pigeons as meals rather than houseguests, observers were hoping the pigeons would

be checked out of their avian Airbnb before the resident peregrine falcons, Lewis and Clark, returned this spring.

As it happened, all four pigeons beat a hasty retreat Feb. 21 about 9 a.m. when a falcon arrived, which you can watch in the video below. Observers believe it was a migrating falcon stopping by to visit, rather than one of the resident falcons.

Two of the pigeons returned the morning of Feb. 23, spending part of the day huddled in the box, but they are not likely to stick around. The resident twosome usually return at the end of February.

Clark and her mate, Lewis, welcomed their latest offspring – Watt, Ohm, Ampere and Volta – last spring.

Observers believe Clark first took up residence at North Omaha Station in 2015. She received a new nest in 2019; it came with a live falcon webcam. The new reality star soon had a social media following, including a group on Facebook.