City Birds A nearly true story about peregrine falcons who nested on a city building By Dean Norman Star Bright Books
Dedicated to Sara Jean Peters A wildlife officer who told the story of the city birds to many audiences and enjoyed the times when my cartoon version of the story was included
Once upon a time not so long ago two peregrine falcons decided to nest on a window ledge of a tall building in downtown Cleveland Ohio People helped them by putting a box of gravel on the ledge so the eggs wouldn’t roll off before the chicks hatched On the 4th of July holiday there was going to be a problem Fireworks would be shot from the top of the building and the Cleveland Orchestra would play in a park next to the building Would the falcons be scared away and their eggs never hatch Well the fireworks were shot from another building but the concert had to go on because so many people wanted to enjoy it The falcons calmly watched the 4th of July show and didn’t leave their nest The last tune played by the orchestra was Stars and Stripes Forever and that is why the two falcon chicks were named Stars and Stripes A TV camera was set up to show the falcon nest so everyone in Cleveland could see the chicks hatch and grow up That show began the day after the fireworks and concert
