“Stephen Colbert” Has Yet Another Falcon Grandchild

Faux TV-News anchor Stephen Colbert can crow about a fourth grandchild that has been appeared atop San Jose City Hall.

Sometime between noon and 2:40 p.m. on Thursday, San Jose City Hall’s falcon mom Clara laid her fourth egg of the 2009 falcon season.

The father? A prolific dad named after Colbert.

South Bay falcon fans dubbed the newest male peregrine falcon living atop San Jose City Hall “Esteban Colbert” after the star of “The Colbert Report.”

The San Jose City Hall Peregrine Falcons became reality show superstars more than two years ago when staff opened up the birds' rooftop nesting box to worldwide viewers of the FalconCam.

In the third "season" of her ongoing reality show, falcon mother Clara hooked up with Esteban.

Clara has quite a history with the males.

As it became apparent that last year’s tiercel (male falcon) Carlos was not returning for a second season, falcon fans have been watching the FalconCam to see if a new beau would attempt to woo Clara.

Colbert's namesake fit the bill.

Clara had three chicks in 2008 with a male named Carlos, while the previous year she and her first mate Jose Fernando had three as well.

Peregrine Falcons, regarded as the fastest animal in the world with a recorded speed of up to 240 mph, had only two mating pairs remaining in the California wild in 1970.

Today, due in large part to extraordinary conservation work by the UC Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group, there are more than 250 nesting pairs, including those at San Jose City Hall.

Who is this Stephen Colbert guy?

For those of you who have been living in a cave, Colbert is a writer and comedian who began his career in Chicago Improvisational Comedy.

A correspondent on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” from 1997, Colbert became host of “The Colbert Report” in 2005. It has become one of the most popular shows on television.

Colbert has received a series of top honors, including being named one of the most influential people by both New York and Time magazines.

The FalconCam can be viewed online on the City of San Jose Web site or on the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group Web site.

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