The latest peregrine falcon to hatch atop UC Berkeley’s famous Campanile bell tower died this week of an unknown illness, just days after being released back into the wild following surgery for a broken wing.
Nox, short for Equinox, was the youngest of four chicks that hatched in Annie’s nest in Maya female falcon who has lived on top of the tower since 2016, and her new partner Archie. Nox came out the same day as a Hatch Day event held at the Berkeley Art Museum and Film Archive to celebrate falcons.
Billy Thein/UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine via Bay City News
Nox suffered a broken wing near the Berkeley Marina in early July and underwent surgery at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital, followed by rehabilitation at the university’s California Raptor Center and released back into the wild in a park on October 18 on the coast, according to UC Berkeley officials.
But just three days later, Nox was found in a resident’s yard in Richmond on Monday, in an emaciated condition. The bird was taken to UC Davis Veterinary Hospital and given a blood transfusion, but died Wednesday. Tests are still underway to determine the falcon’s cause of death.
Cal Falcons, a group of scientists and volunteers who monitor the falcons and share images and information about them on social media, said Annie had never successfully hatched all four eggs in a year until Nox live on the big screen of BAMPFA came out.
Nox was nicknamed “Little Boy Blue” by fans due to the blue leg band placed on one of his legs to distinguish him from his siblings. Blue ribbons and flowers were among the items left as a memorial at the Campanile this week.
“All of us here at the Cal Falcons are completely devastated. Nox had such an immediately captivating joy and energy when he was in front of the camera,” the group said in a social media post. “Losing him is incredibly difficult, especially considering the amount of work he and his human caregivers put into returning to the wild after his initial injury. We will always cherish the moments we had with him.”
