Falcons banded in Elk River

The four young falcons residing in Great River Energy’s peregrine falcon nesting box in Elk River were banded last month.

Representatives from the Raptor Resource Project conducted the banding and examined the young falcons. The two females and two males were deemed healthy and then named Joe’l, Eleanor, Todd and Sawyer.

With the help of an Eagle Scout and the Raptor Resource Project, Great River Energy first installed the nesting box in 2006 atop Elk River Energy Recovery Station. Since then, 42 young falcons have fledged from the location. A few of those falcons have been spotted around Minnesota.

The nest box was relocated in early 2020 to a platform above Great River Energy’s native prairie on the Elk River campus.