| |
Adult peregrines, 15 – 20 inches in length, are slaty-backed and pale underneath with faint, dark barring. Their face has distinctive dark “sideburns” called a helmet that is visible from some distance. Once you get used to looking for them, you will also be able to observe them perched on traffic signals or swooping after their prey, which include pigeons and smaller birds. Watch carefully, because their rapid wingbeats are not unlike the flight of the pigeons they chase.
In addition to street level, there are several locations from which to observe the birds when they are perched at City Hall. These include the top floor of the 4th Street Parking Garage (at San Fernando) and the 8th Floor of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, also located at 4th and San Fernando. In either case, a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope is helpful in seeing them better. This equipment is being made available at the Library
When the birds are not at City Hall, they may be perched at several other locations Downtown, including the Adobe buildings, the Business Building at San Jose State University, and the AT&T Building.
|
