Rochester Falconcam reports that Peregrine Falcon Beauty died overnight on Tuesday after showing signs of ill health on Monday night.
Her body was recovered by the State Department of Environmental Conservation for examination.
RFalconcam.com says Beauty was 15, which is old for a falcon. She and her mates raised more than 30 eyases (falcon chicks) in their nest box on top of the Times Square Building after taking over as Rochester’s premier falcon couple. The raising of their annual families was seen on RFalconcam.com livestreams.
Long-time mate Dot.ca did not return to Rochester this year, and his fate is unknown. An unbanded tiercel (male peregrine) moved in and bonded with Beauty, but their relationship did not get to the egg laying stage this year.
Another female peregrine has already appeared on the nest box and appears to have taken up with the unbanded male tiercel. RFalconcam live streams showed them together in the nest box Tuesday evening. There may yet be a falcon family this season.