Peregrine falcon finds new home in downtown Phoenix

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - It's a unique site.

"The city if like a canyon to them," said Joe Yarchin, of Arizona Game and Fish. "They live on canyon walls, so the city makes a pretty nice canyon to them. They don't see a building, they see a big wall."

Two adult Peregrine falcon's and their baby, just about 2-weeks-old, have made the top of the county administrative building in downtown Phoenix their home.

"Peregrines have been nesting in the city for 10 years and seven years ago, we put a next box up there," Yarchin said.

Yarchin says the birds didn't take to the nest right away, but now, a new falcon family of three lives inside and they're pretty popular.

People from around the world are watching them online thanks to a camera installed above.

"A lot of the viewers, we were watching and the viewers, they watch and have their chats and Facebook and stuff," he said.

While watching, viewers saw the baby had splay leg, a condition where the legs splay out under them when they lay down.

Yarchin says they decided it was best to intervene and made a brace for the baby bird.

"So what they did is it wasn't a cast as much as a little splint that hold their legs together because they're splaying out when they're laying out, so it holds their legs together," he said.

The splint held for six days before the baby broke it, which Yarchin says is a good thing.

"It worked out just fine that is was moving around enough that it tore apart, so its legs are loose now, but it's doing correct with legs so that's a really good sign," he said.

The baby is still very vulnerable, but Yarchin says all it's bones and ligaments look good.

It will soon learn to walk, then fly like mom and dad.

To watch the live falcon-cam, click here.