McKeever and Judson, the pair of falcons nesting at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton, have welcomed three new chicks. The first chick hatched on April 30 at approximately 7:30 p.m., followed by two more overnight. Mother McKeever fed her newborns their first meal around 6:30 a.m. the next day. By Friday afternoon, one egg was still awaiting hatching.
Operating as the Hamilton Community Peregrine Project, Falconwatch utilizes a webcam to observe the birds of prey. Volunteers monitor the chicks once they start flying, ensuring they are safe and aiding them if needed. Falconwatch has successfully assisted over 75 fledging chicks, with plans to band the new chicks for identification and conservation purposes in late May.
McKeever and Judson have been nesting on the 18th floor of the hotel since 2022, raising a total of 14 chicks, including Charlton, Lawfield, Simcoe, and Winona. McKeever was born in Windsor, Ontario, while Judson fledged in Buffalo, New York, and is the descendant of Sheraton’s previous nesting falcons, Madame X and Surge.
Peregrine falcons, known as the fastest animals on Earth, were once endangered in Ontario due to DDT pesticide use. They are now classified as a species of special concern, indicating they are at risk but not endangered. Ontario’s recovery strategy for the peregrine falcon includes community monitoring initiatives like those in Hamilton and Windsor, which have contributed to urban falcons exceeding their rural counterparts in reproduction rates.
