Woodmen Tower Falcons Timeline

2013

Hera and Mintaka produce five eggs. All five eggs hatch, but one of the eyas dies at two weeks. The other four eyas' are banded on June 3, 2013 and it is determined that there are one male and three females in the clutch.

2012

Hera and Mintaka produce five eggs. All five eggs hatch producing three males (Farnam, Dodge and Douglas) and two females (Cass and Harney). Named by our Facebook Fan Travis Wurtele (Union Pacific Railroad, Manager of Trucker Brokerage Sales) after five historic Omaha streets.

In mid-June one of the chicks, Douglas, was found deceased on a sidewalk along Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, a couple blocks from Woodmen of the World. His wing was broken and it appears his death may have resulted from a collision, possibly with a building window.

2011

Hera and Zeus produce five eggs. Five females hatch (Mae, Amelia, Rosa, Sally and Melba. Named by our Facebook Fan Becky Mae after five famous women that made a difference in our world today: Dr. Mae Jemison, Amelia Earhardt, Rosa Parks, Sally Ride and Melba Pattilo.).

2010

Hera and Zeus produce five eggs. Two males (Ponca and Oto) and two females (Kiowa and Dakota) hatch. Dakota was picked up by the Nebraska Humane Society on June 27 for being very emaciated. She was transported to the Raptor Recovery Center to be "fattened up." Dakota made a full recovery and was released back into the wild on August 16 from Schramm Park, NE.

2009

Hera and Zeus produce five eggs. One male (Magnus) and three females (Inina, Willow and Isis) hatch.

2008

Shortly after two of five falcon eggs hatch, Hera is injured in a battle with another female and is taken to Raptor Recovery Nebraska to heal. Despite Zeus' efforts the two eyas die and the remaining eggs do not hatch. Hera returns to the nest.

2007

Hera and Zeus produce one male (Skyler) and three females (Victory, Patriot and Spirit).

2006

Zeus and a new female, Hera, produce five eggs. Three males and two females hatch. One of the males dies after striking a window while learning to fly. The remaining two males are named Spirit and Integrity. The females are named Peace and Honor.

Amelia is released into the wild in Minnesota and dies one week later of starvation, despite many efforts to save her.

2005

Amelia and Zeus produce four eggs. One female hatches and is named Athena, after the Greek mythological figure who was the daughter of Zeus. Amelia is found on the ground in downtown Omaha with a broken wing and is taken to Raptor Recovery Nebraska to heal.

2004

Amelia and Zeus hatch three females, named Monica, Phoebe and Rachel after the three women characters on the television show "Friends."

2003

Amelia and Zeus produce four eggs, but only two hatch. The male is named Freedom and the female, Glory.

2002

Amelia and Zeus produce four eggs. Three females survive and are named Faith, Hope and Liberty.

2001

Zeus and Amelia produce three unnamed chicks — two males and one female.

2000

Zeus returns to the Woodmen Tower without Winnie, who is never sighted again. An unbanded female falcon (later to be named Amelia) arrives in mid-February and is courted by Zeus.

1999

Zeus and Winnie produce five eggs, hatching three male and two female falcons. One of the males later dies. The two remaining males are named Spike and Doorly, while the females are named Goldie and Joslyn.

1998

Zeus and Winnie hatch five chicks — two females (Omaha and Husker) and three males (Offutt, Maverick and Tower).

1997

Zeus and Winnie lay four eggs which all hatch successfully, but are found dead a few days later due to unseasonably hot weather.

1996

Two new peregrines, Zeus (from Rochester, NY), and Winnie, (from Manitoba, Canada), migrate to the Woodmen Tower. Zeus wins a territorial battle with an unknown male peregrine, believed to be Sky King, who is later sighted in Lincoln, NE. Zeus and Winnie produce four chicks. Two survive and are named Atlanta and Olympus in honor of the 1996 Olympic Games.

1995

Sky King and KayCee return and hatch one chick which does not survive.

1994

Windy returns and is killed in a fight for territory by KayCee, a falcon hacked at a building in Kansas City in 1992. Sky King returns and produces three chicks with KayCee. Only one—Sokol—survives.

1993

Windy returns to the Woodmen Tower and lays three infertile eggs. Woody disappears.

1992

Woody and new mate, Windy (from Des Moines, IA) hatch three chicks — Aerial, Zenith and Skywalker. They become the first chicks to hatch in Nebraska in nearly 100 years.

1990-
1991

Woody returns to the Woodmen Tower.

1989

Five falcons are released. Two of the chicks, Woody and Sky King, would return in later years.

1988

Seven falcons are hacked. They were named Woody, Newf, L.C., Happy, Falco, Willa and Pappy. Happy and Pappy die and none return the following year.