Atlantic Wildlife Institute releases peregrine falcon

One bird of prey is back into the fray after the Atlantic Wildlife Institute released a peregrine falcon after nursing it back to health from a Canada Day injury.

The falcon sustained head and talon injuries after flying into a building.

"These are fast birds and whereas this is just a youngling from the nest there in Assumption [Life building]," said Pam Novak of the institute. "But for them to be able to hunt properly and effectively and efficiently they have to have everything working at 100 per cent and those feet are quite important."

Peregrine falcons were once on the endangered species listafter themass spraying of DDT, an insecticide, weakened their eggs. The population has since increased, but activists warn that human interaction and buildings are still some of thegreatest threats to the species.

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Novak said the bird's head trauma cleared up first, but the talon wasn't working properly. The falcon uses its talon toland and hunt food.

"They would starve for sure, and so again with a youngling bird just learning how to fly,you want to give them the best opportunity possible that everything is working on them properly before you put them back out there," said Novak.

After a month of nursing the peregrine falcon the next step was finding a proper place to release it. Novak consideredthe young age of the bird, where other peregrine falcons territories are and reintroducing it to it's family. It was thenreleasedback into nature on Aug. 30.

"She was given her second chance and hopefully she won't run into anymore buildings and can do some successful hunting."

Shift - NB8:27Peregrine release and porcupine update

Pam Novak of the Atlantic Wildlife Institute tells Vanessa about a peregrine injured during Canada Day fireworks.