Elementary students learn about peregrine falcons up close

Castrale, a retired Indiana Department of Natural Resources nongame bird biologist, was helping to catalog the endangered birds and cap off a two-week education program for third- and fourth-graders at Mount Tabor Elementary School, who got to name the chicks.

Duke Energy brought students, teachers and parents to the Gallagher Generating Station in New Albany to name and band the peregrine chicks for the second year in a row.

The birds were classified as endangered, but rebounded to removal of the status in 1999, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service website.

[...] they've taken to nesting in suburban and industrial environments in tall spaces.

Bethany Reavis, a teacher at the school, said showing students what they're learning about can help strengthen the connection with their subject material.

While they're on the up and up, he said it's good to keep an appreciation for the animals and teach younger generations about their conservation.