UPDATE 6/21/19: The Liberty Humane Society of Jersey City reported Friday that they have found the missing falcon. The bird was on the ground near 200 Hudson St. in the Exchange Place neighborhood. The bird may go to the Raptor Trust in Morris County for evaluation and recovery.

The young falcon was spotted earlier the day near a Light Rail station by Jersey City police, but humane society staff could not find it, said Irene Borngraeber, executive director of the society. Office workers spotted it and tried to trap it but the bird fly off and hit the glass office tower at 185 Hudson St. It was stunned but not severely injured. Office workers then confined it in a cardboard box.

Bergen County Audubon Society member Chris Takacs took the young falcon to Raptor Trust on Friday afternoon. "At The Raptor Trust they told me she didn't seem thin, so she probably ate," he said. "She was also very vocal and feisty, a good sign of her strength and health.

"It's been amazing how many people care and how many were out searching for her," he said. "Hopefully this will be a good ending with lessons learned."

State wildlife authorities are investigating why window washers on Sunday sprayed a nest of endangered peregrine falcons living on a Jersey City skyscraper, causing several young falcons to fall from the roof of the 41-story building.

One young falcon remains missing and another that glided to the ground is being evaluated for injuries at a Morris County bird rehabilitation center, according to Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey.

The birds, hatched in May, were about a week away from being able to fly, experts said.

"Everybody is shocked that this happened," said Cathy Malok, rehabilitation director for the Raptor Trust in Millington, where the stunned falcon was taken on Monday. "Even if you don't know that these birds are endangered, it's still a really lousy thing to do."

The state Division of Fish and Wildlife is investigating the incident, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Falcons have called the roof of 101 Hudson St. home for nearly two decades, and they have a worldwide following due to a long-running webcam chronicling their activities.

The incident, which was partially recorded by the webcam, began around 8:45 a.m. Sunday when window washers entered the roof near the falcons' nest box.

Three young falcons that hatched in the box in May were close to being able to fly.

When the workers entered the area, adult falcons began "dive bombing" the men to defend their nest and young. Webcam footage shows water being sprayed on the nest and near a young falcon standing on the ledge. At least two young falcons jumped from the ledge.

"It clearly shows that the window washers were aware that these state endangered birds were present and were actively trying to remove them from the area so they could do their job," Conserve Wildlife Foundation wrote on its Facebook page.

The story continues after this photo gallery

A volunteer nest watcher visited the building Sunday and saw one of the young falcons on a lower ledge around the 36th floor. On Monday, a state conservation officer investigating the incident found another on the ground near a construction site. It was captured and transported to the Raptor Trust. One remains missing.

"They were about a week away from being able to fly," said Ben Wurst, habitat program manager for Conserve Wildlife. "It's a very sensitive time for them, so we try to make sure any interaction with people is extremely limited."

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In 2018, state researchers and wildlife advocates documented a record 40 nesting pairs after the species had been wiped out in New Jersey beginning in the 1960s. Twenty-eight pairs produced at least 75 chicks last year. Despite the progress, peregrine falcons are still listed as an endangered species in New Jersey

Falcons have lived on the roof of the 41-story office tower at 101 Hudson St. in Jersey City, now known as the Merrill Lynch Building, since 2000.

It is not known what company employs the window washers.

"I know the folks at the building are beside themselves," Wurst said. "These birds have been there for 20 years. Everybody at the building loves them, so it's very strange that this happened. It's not like no one knew they were there."

A spokeswoman for the building's owner, Mack-Cali, said the company is "saddened and dismayed" over the incident.

"Any time we employ a contractor to do work on or near the building’s roof, we are explicit in communicating the need to protect the falcons’ well-being and remain clear of the nest," Deidre Crockett, a company spokeswoman, said in a statement.

The falcon at the Raptor Trust is still in the center's critical care wing but is doing well, Malok said. It will be X-rayed to see if it has any broken bones.

As for the missing one, Malok hopes that it survived.

"If you're a bird that can't fly, you don't want to be on the ground, especially in a busy place like Jersey City," she said.