Marcy Cottrell Houle

Wings for My Flight: The Peregrine Falcons of Chimney Rock

wings-for-my-flightWinner of the national Christopher Award. Winner of the Oregon Book Award.  Winner of New York City Library “Best Books for the Teen Age.”

Forty years ago, the peregrine falcon was on the U.S. endangered species list and many doubted that it would survive. Marcy Houle was a young wildlife biologist observing one of the last remaining pairs–located at a site in southwest Colorado slated for development as a major tourist site. First published in 1991 and winner of several national awards, this book chronicles her work at Chimney Rock along with the recovery of the species. A new preface examines the last thirty years of the peregrine population and its remarkable comeback and culminates with President Barack Obama’s designation of Chimney Rock as a national monument.

“Houle has found the soul of the incomparable peregrine falcon, while measuring the human equation at the same time. It is art, it is science, it is delightful.” —Roger Caras

“This book is an absorbing account of the struggle to convince humans that other species count, too.” —Bill McKibben


Press

Pagosa Spring Sun

Presentation by author Marcy Houle at May 15 CRIA potluck
May 7, 2015
Pagosa Spring Sun article


The Daily Sentinel

We owe a lot of credit to peregrines of Chimney Rock
Grand Junction, Colorado, Sunday, July 6, 2014
Originally published in hardcover in 1991, “Wings for My Flight: The Peregrine Falcons of Chimney Rock” chronicles the adventures and misadventures of a young female biologist stationed atop Chimney Rock between Bayfield and Pagosa Springs as she and her companion gather data on nesting peregrine falcons….
Read article