UMass Libraries flock to fun with Banding Day and FalConference

An entertainment source loved by both the campus community and wildlife aficionados since 2013, the Du Bois Falcon Cam was reenergized by the success of a new mating pair in 2021. Available 24/7 on YouTube, Falcon Cam offered surveillance of falcons housed comfortably in a nesting box atop the W. E. B. Du Bois Library, and their fluffy, adorably awkward chicks that hatched in May. On June 8, UMass Libraries livestreamed Banding Day. There, the chicks were banded, coded by location with colored bands used by Massachusetts State Wildlife experts, allowing researchers to track the movements of the falcons over time as part of the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Learn More.

To keep the feathered fun flowing, UMass Libraries hosted its first-ever FalConference, a one-day virtual event where the community was invited to join the Du Bois Falcon team and their collaborators to discuss all things peregrine. FalConference also collaborated with The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and collected images of falcon-themed artwork from the community that were displayed in an online gallery.