The University of Michigan campus is once again the birthplace for avian high-flyers, this time welcoming two peregrine falcon chicks named Victoria and Valiant. The new additions hatched in May, and the University Record, in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, opened the names up to public suggestion, garnering over 1,400 submissions, some inspired by the film "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children," and others like "Feather Locklear" and "Stephen Squawking" probably intended to elicit a chuckle, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.
It's said that the chosen names for these birds of prey tend to honor local ties, past selections honoring not only the Ann Arbor city but also former football coaches and university presidents; the efforts have built a tradition while the campus community and beyond engage in naming rituals that, in past, also included pun-driven or pop-culture-centric monikers, as per a report by CBS Detroit. The North Quad nesting site, now the sole official campus roost after a close call with Burton Tower trysts, seems to be serving its purpose well.
These birds have a storied history—almost wiped out by the use of DDT—and a dramatic tale of persistence and survival that mirrors the best of comebacks. Unbelievably fast, peregrine falcons can bolt through the skies at speeds reaching 250 mph, according to a piece by ClickOnDetroit. There are an estimated 30 peregrine falcon nests throughout Michigan, a state that still lists them as endangered despite their removal from the federal endangered species list—an indication that there's still work to be done.
These raptors' presence at UM has burgeoned since the early 2000s, and while their numbers grow nationwide, the 30 nests confirmed in Michigan stand as a testament to the success of conservation efforts. The Nature Conservancy reports a climb from just 324 pairs in 1975 to a hearty 40,000 in North America today, as noted by MLive.
