One of the four young falcons that fledged from the nest at the Rachel Carson State Office Building in Harrisburg was found dead this week.

The green-banded falcon apparently flew in to a pedestrian bridge over Walnut Street Sunday. It was found by a security guard who took it to the Whitaker Center for safe keeping until it could be identified.

During the last several weeks, the falcons took flight from their nest on the 15th floor. During this time, the parent falcons teach the young how to fly and hunt. It is the most perilous time for the young falcons as they face the dangers of life in an urban setting such as power lines and traffic.

So far, 34 eggs have been produced at this nest site. Of those, 32 hatched. So far there have been 16 males and 15 females produced from the site (the sex of one nestling hatched in 2006, the runt of the clutch, could not be determined). Of these, 20 falcons have survived -- 10 males and 10 females.

NewsClip: Falcon Born in Reading Found Dead

Link: Watch the Falcon Nest in Pittsburgh

6/29/2007