UPDATE JULY 7, 2026: Monarch is doing well after undergoing surgery to stabilize his fractured leg with an external fixator and surgical pins.
He was understandably grumpy when our team cleaned his pins the next day – a great sign! Although he needed to be hand-fed with tweezers after surgery, he’s now eating much better all on his own. Monarch remains bright, alert, responsive, and is healing well.
But this Peregrine Falcon's healing isn't done just yet.
The wildlife team expects the fixator and pins to remain in place for three to six weeks while the fracture heals. During this time, Monarch will remain on strict cage rest. As his recovery progresses, he’ll move to a small outdoor flight pen where he’ll begin rebuilding his strength through self-guided physical therapy before eventually graduating to our large pre-release conditioning flight pen.
We’re hopeful Monarch will recover in time to reunite with Honey, the other fledgling, and the rest of his family prior to migration. If Monarch’s rehabilitation takes longer or his family has migrated from the area, we will partner with an experienced falconer to give Monarch more time to build the flying and hunting skills he’ll need before returning to the wild.
We are so grateful to Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) for their commitment to Wisconsin's state-endangered Peregrine Falcons. From constructing and maintaining a safe nesting site to watching over the falcon family when Monarch needed help most, MGE has been there every step of the way.
Today, we're excited to share the next chapter of that partnership. Thanks to a generous $15,000 gift from the MGE Foundation, DCHS's Wildlife Center will build two new raptor mews -- a specialized outdoor rehabilitation enclosure that provides a critical step between cage rest and pre-release flight.
If Monarch's recovery continues as planned, we anticipate he will be among the first patients to transition into the new mew once his cage rest is complete. The gift will also fund new water service and extend electrical service from our solar-powered flight pen, allowing us to better support the care of injured birds of prey.
This investment will have a lasting impact, helping countless hawks, falcons, owls, eagles, and other raptors receive the specialized care they need to recover and return to the wild for years to come.
Thank YOU to everyone who made the lifesaving surgery and Monarch's continued care possible, and to MGE Foundation for this incredible gift. We are so grateful for the support!
ORIGINALLY POSTED JULY 2, 2026: Every spring, thousands of people watch Madison's famous Madison Gas and Electric’s (MGE) Blount Generating Station Falcon Cam.
Since 2009, the Station at 717 E. Main St. has successfully maintained a safe space for state-endangered Peregrine Falcons to lay their eggs.
This year, two out of the four eggs successfully hatched and the chicks, named Honey and Monarch, were federally banded. Live cameras have allowed supporters to watch these babies grow until they fledged. A few days ago, the oldest of this year's falcons took its first flight.
Honey landed on a vehicle near the Moxy Hotel on East Washington Avenue and later flew up to the hotel’s outdoor sign – seemingly healthy but shaken up from the fall. Multiple people reached out to DCHS’s Wildlife Center with concern, sending photos of the bird and documenting the situation. A Wildlife Center volunteer who is also permitted falconer went to the scene to assess the raptor's condition. The bird was fine!
Then, two days later, Monarch took a leap of faith out of the nest. Instead of soaring over downtown Madison, the falcon crashed to the ground.
Monarch was admitted to DCHS’s Wildlife Center immediately after rescue. X-rays revealed a fractured left leg near the knee, an injury that would almost certainly prevent this unique raptor from surviving in the wild without intervention.
Our wildlife team immediately provided pain medication, fluids, stabilization, and supportive care to keep the falcon comfortable while arranging emergency orthopedic surgery.
On July 2nd, consulting veterinarians from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine's Wildlife Medicine Program are scheduled to perform this specialized procedure – one that could give this remarkable bird a second chance.
For a young Peregrine Falcon, every day living around humans is a risk. Their numbers are few, and conserving this species matters. These incredible birds can dive at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour, but before they become masters of the sky, they must survive their most vulnerable days after leaving the nest. A broken leg at this stage of development is life-threatening.
The good news is this falcon has a chance.
With expert veterinary care, rehabilitation, and time to heal, we hope this young bird can one day return to flying over the Madison skyline, where it belongs.
Wild animals don't have families who can rush them to the emergency room or help pay for surgery. They rely entirely on compassionate people like you.
Your gift today helps provide emergency veterinary care, diagnostic imaging, surgery, pain management, rehabilitation, specialized diets, and everything else this endangered falcon may need during its recovery.
Every dollar helps give this remarkable bird the opportunity to fly again. Please make your gift today and help this young Peregrine Falcon heal.
You can also mail or drop off your donation at Dane County Humane Society’s main shelter (5132 Voges Road, Madison, WI 53718), with “Falcon” in the subject line.
DCHS's Wildlife Center has limited staffing and is 100% funded by generous donations made by members of our community. Any additional funds raised will be used to continue the work our Wildlife Center does every day to provide specialized care and treatment to sick, injured, and orphaned native Wisconsin wildlife.
