Fifth Third Bank announced today that it is collecting suggestions for names from the community to name four of Kalamazoo’s banded Peregrine Falcon chicks.

Conservation Work Is Carried Out At The International Centre For Birds Of Prey
(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
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In late April, the chicks hatched in the nesting box that sits on top of the Fifth Third Bank building in downtown Kalamazoo. Unlike other banded birds, Peregrine Falcons are given a name when banded. With each band number, a name is entered into a national Peregrine Falcon registry and birds are referred to by name, as opposed to a band number.

Fifth Third is inviting suggestions from local citizens for names for the rare birds, and also to share the reason for the name suggestion. You can go to any Kalamazoo area Fifth Third Branch, between May 27 and June 7.

Three names will be chosen by a group of local judges while the fourth name will be reserved for a separate contest between some of the schools who have been watching the webcam. Last year’s winners were; Gibson, Birdick, Kazoomi, and Athena. This year’s winning names will be announced on June 9.

“It’s great to see that naming the new members or our Peregrine family has become

Conservation Work Is Carried Out At The International Centre For Birds Of Prey
(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
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an annual community event,” said Ron Foor, Fifth Third Bank vice president of commercial banking and community president for the Kalamazoo region. “Each spring we await their return to the rooftop and then watch as the family grows – thanks to the DNR and Kalamazoo Audubon Society it’s been quite the journey to watch.”

Names for the three birds may be submitted at the following Fifth Third Bank locations:

· Burdick/Crosstown,101 East Crosstown Pkwy in Kalamazoo

· Gull Road, 5653 Gull Rd. in Kalamazoo

· Kalamazoo Downtown,136 E. Michigan Ave. in Kalamazoo

· Milwood, 4109 Portage Rd. in Kalamazoo

· Westwood , 4705 West Main St. in Kalamazoo

· Crossroads, 6488 S. Westnedge Ave. in Portage

· West Lake, 8910 Portage Rd. in Portage

· Woodbridge, 3500 West Centre Rd. in Portage

· Richland, 8020 North 32nd St. in Richland

· Oshtemo, 6040 Stadium Dr. in Kalamazoo

· Three Rivers, 216 North Main St. in Three Rivers

· Paw Paw, 37687 Red Arrow Highway in Paw Paw

Based on the submissions, a committee of community leaders will review and select the final name on June 13, followed by an announcement.

Peregrine Falcons came near extinction and remained on the list of federally endangered species until 1999. The Peregrine Falcon remains on the endangered species list in Michigan.

The female falcon’s name is Rebecca. Hatched in South Bend, IN in 2009, she arrived in Kalamazoo in 2010. A new male, Kewpee, arrived in 2014 and is now paired with Rebecca. Kewpee, named by his banders, originates from Lima, OH where he was hatched and banded in 2010.

(Source: Fifth Third release)

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