This year marks 30 years since Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) and We Energies began their efforts to restore the peregrine falcon population in Wisconsin. To celebrate, customers were asked to name this year’s peregrine falcon chicks after the best of 1992 — the year when captive-born peregrine falcons were first released from a power plant.
With over 7,000 votes cast, the top ten names are:
- Jump — in honor of the 1992 debut of “Jump Around,” by House of Pain, now used as a rally song by the Badgers.
- Mae — in honor of Mae Jemison, who orbited Earth in 1992, making her the first African American woman in space.
- Golden — in honor of “The Golden Girls,” which aired its last episode in 1992.
- Mario — in honor of the debut of “Super Mario Kart” in 1992.
- Scrunchie — in honor of the unique fashion sense of 1992.
- Whitney — in honor of “I Will Always Love You,” the best-selling song of 1992.
- Favre — in honor of Brett Favre’s first year with the Packers.
- Dream — in honor of the 1992 Olympics gold-medal Dream Team.
- Garth — in honor of “Wayne’s World,” which premiered in 1992.
- Barney — in honor of everyone’s favorite purple dinosaur, who made his debut in 1992.
These names will be given to the peregrine falcon chicks at WPS and We Energies power plants this spring. So far, there are nine chicks and likely more to come.
Even though voting is done, you can still watch the chicks via live nest box cameras as they continue to hatch, grow and learn to fly.
The falcon chicks will formally receive their names and identification bands in the coming weeks.