I have posted with great interest the story of the red-tailed hawk soaring over the US Capitol during the inauguration of President Barack Obama, and explored the symbolism and meaning thereof in this post from January of this year.
My own adopted state of Nebraska, where my family has lived since 1984, has a pair of peregrine falcons nesting and raising a brood on top of the state capital! Not only that, but there is a webcam where you can watch the little buggers hatch and grow up. They are now 21 days old and look like round fuzzy footballs with raptor eyes and talons.
In Nordic tradition, the Falcon represents the huntsman and is associated with the Germanic sky-gods Wodan as well as Frigg and the trickster Loki. In European culture the Falcon is considered a war symbol. The Japanese Ainu thought that it was a helper of humanity. The ancient Egyptians saw them as representations of gods. They were spirit messengers to the Native American Cree, guardian spirits to the Inca, and a symbol of someone on a quest to medieval Europeans.
Essentially, the Falcon represents visionary power, wisdom, and guardianship. This powerful bird awakens visionary power, and leads to one's life purpose. The Falcon carries with it a message of transition and change.
The fact that this Peregrine chose to show itself is a powerful message to Nebraskans. This is a call for us to pay attention to mission, function, actions.
The fact that they repeatedly nest on our Capitol building is a call to live up to a clear vision of the highest possible manifestation of democracy.
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