May 19, 2008

City Hall falcons celebrate Earth Day

April 22 was a red letter day, and not just because it was Earth Day. At the top of City Hall, three of the four eggs laid by peregrine falcons Clara and Carlos hatched. The fourth egg is expected to hatch soon. Clara and Carlos have been busy feeding pigeons to the little hatchlings.

Peregrine falcons are known for their ability to dive through the air at high speeds (up to 200 mph) while hunting. In the mid 1970s there were only two known pairs of Peregrines in California. Today, thanks in part to rescue efforts, it is believed that over 250 pairs of Peregrines live in California.

This is the third year the falcons have hatched eggs atop City Hall. Last year there were three hatchlings. Those birds were named in a contest, which is happening again this year. San Jose children age 5 to 17 interested in helping name the falcon chicks can go to www.sanjoseca.gov/mayor and click on the “Name that Falcon” banner for information on this year’s naming contest. Winners will receive a commendation from the mayor at a City Council meeting, a falcon T-shirt, and tickets to the Tech Museum and IMAX show. To watch a live, streaming video of the falcon nest, go to sjmayor.org and click on the “City Hall Falcons” icon.

Once you’ve thought of names for one or all the babies, fill out a submission form and attach a drawing or a sort essay and e-mail it to mayoremail@sanjoseca.gov or mail to:

Falcon Naming c/o Mayor’s Office, 200 E. Santa Clara St. 18th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113.

Drawings must be on a standard 8 ½ by 11-inch piece of paper and depict why the name selected suits the falcon. The essay should be between 50 and 100 words and discuss why the name you selected suits the falcon. All submissions must be received or postmarked by May 30.

Submissions must have parent or guardian approval; there can be only one entry per person. In the case of duplicate names, the tiebreaker will depend on the drawing or essay. Ten finalists will be selected by a panel of judges and placed online to be voted on by the falcon discussion to determine the final names.