A peregrine falcon whose longtime mate died this week amid the breeding season appears to have found a new partner to help her hatch two eggs.
Grinnell, one of a beloved pair of peregrine falcons who made their longtime home atop the bell tower at the University of California, Berkeley, was found dead Thursday. Less than 24 hours later, his partner Annie had mated with a new untagged male falcon, Cal Falcons, a group that monitors the birds, said on Twitter Friday.
“When a mated Peregrine dies during the breeding season, the most likely outcome of the nest is abandonment,” Cal Falcons tweeted. “In rare cases, a new mate can come in, establish a bond with the remaining individual, and adopt the chicks.”
While peregrine falcons typically mate for life, those who lose a partner will seek a replacement after a mate dies.
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