A pair of peregrine falcons have become Bay Area celebrities in their own right over the last five years, nesting atop UC Berkeley’s Sather Tower and raising their brood of chicks on camera.
But the male of the pair, Grinnell, was injured late last week in a fight with another falcon. He's currently recovering at the Lindsay Wildlife Hospital in Walnut Creek, according to the hospital’s lead veterinarian.
"Grinnell is doing great. I’m really happy with how alert he's been doing," Dr. Krystal Woo said in an interview with KCBS Radio on Tuesday. "He is actually tolerating our presence really well for a peregrine falcon. Usually, they are really high-stressed birds because they are very intense birds."
During the fight with the other falcon, Grinnell’s beak chipped.
Woo reported that his beak is shorter but he is still able to eat properly.
She said that peregrine falcons' beaks are made out of keratin, like fingernails. So, it will grow back.
"We did have to put in some sutures in a wound over his left wing," she explained. "So, he will probably have to heal that, and that normally takes 10-14 days."
Woo told KCBS Radio that there have been reports of other peregrine falcons trying to find a territory around the Campanile. It’s possible other falcons tried to take over Annie and Grinnell's territory, and that could’ve prompted the fight.
A UC Berkeley graduate herself, Woo has watched Grinnell and Annie have their chicks over the years. Because of that, she said it has been difficult not to get attached to Grinnell during his treatment.
"I do get attached to a lot of my patients," Woo said. "Keeping a distance is a little bit more difficult. We don't talk to them or pet them in any way because they are wild animals. They can bite us and hurt us."
Due to his injuries, Grinnell probably won’t be released until his sutures are healed. By that time, it would not be surprising if Annie has found a new mate.
Lindsay Wildlife Hospital is trying to get him released as soon as possible so he can fly free.
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