Why our commitment to local birds has been taking flight for 25 years
Check out the birdcam link for all the action
You would think that a power company and local birds have nothing in common. But Xcel Energy employees at plants and other facilities have a special appreciation for the balance of nature. They realize the healthy partnership of cohabitation is vital, for all of us.
The history of these partnerships started in 1990 when a peregrine falcon was spotted above the Allan S. King Plant in Oak Park Heights. At the time these majestic birds had been experiencing a population decline. So a plant employee asked company officials for permission to construct a nest high atop the smoke stack for the bird to lay eggs. The offspring of that first bird helped restore the peregrine population in Minnesota and spurred a lasting partnership between local aviary, Xcel Energy and two important nature preservation organizations.
1) The Raptor Center recently recognized Xcel Energy with a “Partnerships in Giving” feature in the spring edition of the Raptor Release. Read the full story in the Raptor Center’s Spring Raptor Release newsletter.
2) Since the creation of that first nest box at the King Plant, the partnership with the Raptor Resource Project has grown to include nest boxes and bird cams at nearly all of our Minnesota generating plants.
Watch the Live Bird Cam (Nestwork) Network!
Our live streaming bird cams and daily pictures entertain thousands of viewers every day. Visit http://birdcam.xcelenergy.com/ where you’ll find channels devoted to eagles, falcons, herons, owls, osprey and kestrels.