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Pigeons turn OPPD falcon box into vacation home

February 23, 2022 | Julie Wasson | environment, falcons, North Omaha
pigeons falcon north omaha station
Four pigeons have vacationed at North Omaha Station for several days recently. A visiting peregrine falcon scared them off Feb. 21, which you can watch in the video below, but a couple came back Wednesday.

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

falcon north omaha station
This is the visiting falcon, also shown in the video below, that scared the four pigeons out of the falcon box Feb. 21.

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.

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About Julie Wasson

Julie Wasson is the brand journalism strategist at Omaha Public Power District and the editor of The Wire. She has more than 25 years of print journalism and social media experience, including two stints at the Omaha World-Herald.

View all posts by Julie Wasson >

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