Falcons fitted with trackers to fight avian flu

In an effort to monitor and protect the declining peregrine falcon population, researchers banded four chicks on Wednesday morning at San Jose City Hall. This action is part of a decades-long conservation program in the Greater San Francisco Bay region.

For the first time, each chick is equipped with a radio transmitter to remotely track its movements and location. This technology is vital as avian flu is causing a significant drop in peregrine numbers. Previously, 47 monitored nests in the Bay Area in 2020 had only 11 occupied by healthy adults as of the report.

The San Jose City Hall nest is considered especially important for sustaining the regional peregrine falcon population. However, some historically active sites, like the Berkeley Campanile nest, have been empty for the past two years, highlighting the severity of the population decline.