The New Guy Gets a Name

The new guy, Ecco, with Morela in the background in a photo from 12 March 2020

For almost three months I’ve been watching and writing about the new unbanded male peregrine at the Cathedral of Learning. He hasn’t won the site from Terzo but his presence has thrown the nesting season into a tail spin. I’ve called him “the new guy” but he’s not new anymore. And he’s still here. It’s time he got a name.

Our peregrine naming tradition in Pittsburgh means that I’m the one who names him (details here). It’s a difficult process and I’ve messed up in the past so I’ve been reluctant to go through this. I thought he’d go away, but here he is.

“Here he is” (Eccolo in Italian) inspired his name. His name is Ecco.

Ecco means “here” or “there” in Italian but is often used at the beginning of sentences to get them rolling as in “Well” or “OK” or even “Hey” as in “Hey, that’s what I thought too.” Here are three descriptions of ecco: Word Hippo, Colloquial Italian blog, Italian-English at Cambridge.org

The fact that Ecco is pronounced “echo” is also apt. This bird shows up repeatedly, like an echo, even after we thought he was gone.

So here is Ecco, calling, pondering and watching the sky, plus two videos so you can get to know him.

Ecco calls to Morela, “Come here,” 9 May 2020, 18:13
Ecco at the nest, 9 May 2020, 18:13

Ecco in a typical pose, scanning the sky.

Ecco in a typical pose, watching for Terzo (or Morela?) 9 May 2020, 18:14

Ecco’s first appearance on camera, 28 February 2020.

Ecco visits the nest and calls to Morela, 9 May 2020.

It’s convenient that both males have names now.

I don’t think Ecco is going away anytime soon. Nor will Terzo.

(photos from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)

20 thoughts on “The New Guy Gets a Name

  1. Thank you Kate! You did an excellent thing and named him well. I love the name. It will certainly make it easier when we discuss him. A lot of unusual things going on, and we depend on you to always make things known about a lot of different things in nature, so thank you once again.

  2. Love the name you’ve selected for him, Kate. And totally agree with Margot’s comment.

    Ecco is really beautiful, with his snowy white chest and big beautiful eyes. Just hope that he and Terzo are able to sort out dominance with neither one harmed.

    1. Peregrines usually last an egg every other day though it’s not exactly 24 hrs between them.

  3. Thanks, Kate. Interesting to say the least. I do love the name, and am glad he has one.

  4. Well thought out, I think the name is perfect! Good luck to a good season, and many more in the years to come.

    1. CP, the egg is mottled, a little more than is normal for peregrine who but ok.

    1. CP, it is not broken. At night you can see its perfect shape under infrared light.

  5. Since there is no incubating yet, could this egg not be viable? It’s been several days since it was laid and another should have been by now.

    1. Luann, we’ll know the answer in a while. Incubation does not begin for peregrines until the clutch is nearly complete. This means that 1st eggs may wait about a week for incubation to begin.

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