Rest in Peace, Amelia

It is with a very heavy heart that we share the news of Amelia’s passing today. She died at Spirit Filled Wings (a rehabilitation facility) during the early morning hours after being found injured at the GM Tech Center on July 25. She was found in an enclosed courtyard with an injury to her right wing and a small open wound near her elbow. The hope was that Amelia would successfully heal and return to her parents, however it all just seemed too much for the little girl. While the facts are hard to swallow, it’s important to understand just how tough it is to survive as a baby Peregrine Falcon. The DNR’s note below will help give context to the situation.



Rest in peace, Amelia. We will miss you.

May 14, 2013 - July 27, 2013

Email from Christine Becher, Peregrine Falcon Nesting Coordinator, Michigan DNR:

I am so sorry to report that at approximately 12:24 a.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2013, I received at phone call from Linda Bianco, Raptor Rehabilitator at Spirit Filled Wings, that Amelia had taken a turn for the worse. Within ten minutes of that first call, I received another informing me that she had expired.

A Necropsy (an autopsy performed on animals) will be performed to determine the cause of death. Please know that receiving a Necropsy Report can take some time, but I assure you that the results will be shared as soon as I receive them.

I would like to take this moment to thank those folks who found Amelia grounded at the GM Tech Center and took the time to contact us so we could rescue her. I would also like to thank Linda Bianco, Raptor Rehabilitator and Dr. Pasternak, Veterinarian for their valiant attempts at giving her aid. I would also like to thank all of you, all of her well-wishers, who kept her in your thoughts and prayers.

Please keep in mind that even though Amelia had fledged weeks earlier, she was not yet an expert at flying; she was still in the learning stages of both flying and hunting. Sadly, as you probably already know, Peregrine Falcons have an approximate 50-60% survival rate in the first year, and only 25% of birds make it through the second year. It is however possible for a healthy falcon who survives those first two years to live to the average age of 13 years.

Not every bird will make it, we all realize that, but there are inspiring stories to be told that give us hope. One case in point is Leopold who spent 13 of his 15 years at the Monroe Power Plant where he produced 33 chicks and fostered one young with “Sharin”, Monroe, “No-Name” and Millie.

I hope that you all take heart in knowing what a wonderful part you all had in watching Amelia in her short life. Also, consider how the Peregrine Falcons have become one of the Endangered Species Act’s great success stories here in southeast Michigan.