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Home » Famous UC Berkeley Falcon Lands At Lindsay Wildlife Hospital With Injuries

Famous UC Berkeley Falcon Lands At Lindsay Wildlife Hospital With Injuries

by CLAYCORD.com
15 comments

Grinnell hasn’t had the best week.

The falcon, who along with mate Annie famously nests in UC Berkeley’s Campanile tower, was found sitting on a garbage can at the Berkeley Tennis Club on Oct. 28. He didn’t try to get away when approached by a human.

Someone from the club called Lindsay Wildlife Experience in Walnut Creek for advice, put Grinnell in a box, and took him to Lindsay’s wildlife hospital, where an examination showed the falcon was missing the tip of his maxilla, or upper bill. He was also missing a large patch of feathers on his chin and throat, near a wound, said Lindsay’s spokesperson Jennifer Modenessi.

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Grinnell also had an injured left wing, which might explain why he was sitting around the Berkeley Tennis Club.

The fast-flying predator was sporting a federal band, which meant his movements and migratory behavior was being studied by federal researchers. A scan of the band revealed his identity.

Radiographs were taken of Grinnell’s injured wing and Dr. Krystal Woo, Lindsay’s lead wildlife veterinarian, performed minor surgery to close the wound on the wing.

Grinnell is receiving antibiotics, anti-parasitic drugs, and pain medication as he recovers from his injuries. The peregrine falcon will likely remain at Lindsay for at least 10 to 14 days to heal, before being returned to his hometown.

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Modenessi said doctors suspect Grinnell’s wounds came from “an intraspecies attack.”

Grinnell and Anne were first observed at the UC Berkeley Campanile in late 2016. Since then, they’ve nested in the Campanile tower, with their daily nesting life captured on web cams and viewed by thousands of social media followers.

photo credit: Lindsay Wildlife Hospital

15 comments


Concernicus November 5, 2021 - 8:20 AM - 8:20 AM

Glad that a good samaritan found him, and not some bored/stupid teens.

Dawg November 5, 2021 - 9:37 AM - 9:37 AM

Fit him with a prosthetic beak, let him heal up, and he’ll be as good as new. His little lady friend must be wondering what happened to him.
Thanks, Dr. Woo, and the caring folks at Lindsay.

Ricardoh November 5, 2021 - 9:47 AM - 9:47 AM

Lindsay Wildlife Hospital is a great place to visit. I took a couple of baby squirrels there that fell out of my palm tree . One made it the other didn’t. Good place to take kids to see their animals and birds.

Martinezmike November 5, 2021 - 5:08 PM - 5:08 PM

I bet Grinnell would have loved those baby squirrels even more then you!

WC Resident November 5, 2021 - 10:13 AM - 10:13 AM

I agree with Concernicus. It’s good that someone who cared found the bird.

Hopefully the the missing tip of the maxilla or upper beak was normal wear and tear.

Shoulda Coulda November 5, 2021 - 11:04 AM - 11:04 AM

Good luck Grinnell. Wishing a rapid recovery
to a very speedy bird. (The Peregrine Falcon
is the fastest animal on earth approaching
around 200mph in a dive). Thank you to the
Lindsey Wildlife Experience. It’s was nice to
read this story that’s for the birds.

Brandon November 5, 2021 - 11:06 AM - 11:06 AM

I go to UC Berkeley and I saw the Falcons fighting by the Campanile. They literally dive full speed at the ground while fighting.

hanne jeppesen November 5, 2021 - 11:25 AM - 11:25 AM

Love Lindsay museum, went there with my daughter when she was little, even though we lived in Foster City. Then took my step granddaughter there when she was about 6, she loved it, specially where you can virtually fly over Mt. Diablo. When my daugther, husband, stepgranddaugther and granddaugther (1/2) was up here from Pasadena at Christmas 4 years ago the whole family went, and we all had a great time.

ConcordRes2 November 5, 2021 - 1:07 PM - 1:07 PM

Lindsay has come a long way since I worked there with Gary Bouge he cared for injured Animals but we didn’t have an official Hospital. The animals for the most part were out in the open and we could let visitors hold and touch them. We even had a pet library where you could take an animal home for a week. Mostly ginny pigs, Rats, chinchillas all small animals. It was one of the best experiences of my life.

Hoping for a quick recovery for this Falcon.

The Masked Poster November 5, 2021 - 2:07 PM - 2:07 PM

@ConcordRes2
Speaking of Gary Bogue, where is he these days? I always enjoyed reading his column in the Green Sheet, aka CC Times. I still have his recipe for doggy treats filed away somewhere, although I never used it, but thought it might be good to have, sometime in the future. Well, the future is now, and I still don’t need it.

The Masked Poster November 5, 2021 - 3:25 PM - 3:25 PM

@ConcordRes2
I answered my own question, pertaining to Gary Bogue; he died a couple years ago, Sept 2019.

hanne jeppsen November 6, 2021 - 4:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Before I visited the Lindsay museum with my daugther my ex husband took her, she was 6 or 7 (born in 1980) he allowed her to take a guina pig home for a week, the next week end it was my turn to have my daughter, so I was taxed with having to return the guina pig, guess you all can imagine the trauma she went through, she at that age could not grasp the concept of a “loan”, needless to say I was rather upset at my ex. Ended up eventually getting a guina pig for my daughter,

Winnie The Pooh November 5, 2021 - 1:44 PM - 1:44 PM

Soooo happy to hear that whomever found the bird did the right thing and took it to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum. Thank you to whoever did that!!!

CM November 5, 2021 - 4:50 PM - 4:50 PM

I donate to Lindsay via Amazon smile. It’s not much but every little bit….

Lari November 6, 2021 - 11:50 AM - 11:50 AM

Me, too! So grateful.


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