Briess Peregrine Falcons Banded and Taking Flight Soon

Jamie Skelton Jun 11, 2026

Just a few weeks ago, on May 21, 2026, our fast-growing falcon chicks got a major milestone – our 100^th chick was born, and they were officially banded thanks to Greg Septon, founder of the Wisconsin Peregrine Falcon Recovery Program!

We opened things up to our community with a social media naming contest, and wow, did you all deliver! With an impressive 327 creative entries, our judges had their work cut out for them.

Meet the Stars of the Nest

Liberty — in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. Our one and only female (female peregrines are typically larger and more dominant than males!) Submitted by Nicole Hephner
Taco — because everyone loves tacos! He is easily recognized as the chick who always seems to be “singing” (baby falcons are surprisingly vocal when they want attention or food!) Submitted by Elias, four-year-old son of Hannah Marie
Hundo — in observance of the 100th falcon chick hatched on the Briess grain elevator. Submitted by Denise DeMeyer
Roger — to commemorate Briess’ 4th Generation owner, Roger Briess. Submitted by Jon Downing

Each winner of the contest will receive a custom Falcon mug, along with our special 150^th Anniversary edition of Dark Chocolate Malted Milk Balls – a highly sought-after treat with malt on the inside coated with a delectable chocolate on the outside.

*An inside view of the nestbox, which is inside our grain tower and towards the very top.*

Growing Fast, Really Fast

What you see on our Live Falcon Cam isn’t the same as when you first saw these fluffy chicks. In just a matter of weeks:

Their soft white feathers are slowly being replaced with sleek, dark feathers
Their wing muscles are developing for flight – you’ll see them flapping away outside
Their curiosity is growing fast!

The chicks typically take their first flight at around 5–6 weeks old, a stage called “fledging,” and yes, they can be a little clumsy at first! Sometimes they may land on a pole and hang out there for a few days. Don’t be alarmed if you see this throughout town; they’ll practice using their wings while being safe before they take flight again.