PRESS RELEASE: Vote To Give UC Berkeley's New Guy A New Name

Press release from UC Berkeley News:

Gretchen Kell

2022-04-13

Will it be Ned, Morgan, Lou, Ed, Savio, Calvin, Archie, Takaki or Alden?

Those names are the nine finalists in a Cal Falcons contest to officially name the new mate of Annie, UC Berkeley’s female peregrine falcon, whose longtime partner, Grinnell, was found dead on March 31. He’s been temporarily called New Guy.

The public can vote starting today, using this link; the contest ends at noon this Sunday, April 17. The winning name will be announced the following day.

New Guy swooped into Annie’s life just seven hours after Grinnell died and began helping her incubate the eggs in the nest on Berkeley’s Campanile and hunting for her meals. He has an injured left foot that hangs down when he flies, is slightly larger than Grinnell was, and has a cap of very dark feathers on his head that match those on his tail.

More than 1,000 people suggested names for this new addition to the campus community via Cal Falcons’ social media channels. Twelve biologists and volunteers from Cal Falcons reduced the number of proposed names to nine, “but it was really hard to cut down the list — there were a ton of amazing suggestions,” said Sean Peterson, an ornithologist with Cal Falcons. “I’m really excited to see what the community chooses for the final name.”

As required, each of the finalists are names with a connection to the campus. Peterson said Cal Falcons, in selecting these nine, “aimed for a broad spectrum of Cal-related honorees, including people involved in athletics, science, humanities and activism.”

“I think what struck me about this process is how many truly exceptional individuals have called Berkeley home,” said Peterson of the naming suggestions that poured in.

Now that New Guy also is making the campus his home, fans of Berkeley’s falcons appear very receptive to him, despite their deep attachment to Grinnell. “It seems like people really love New Guy,” said Peterson, adding that a photo of New Guy sitting on a balcony of the Campanile like a loaf of bread has been one of Cal Falcons’ most popular social media posts, ever.

New Guy and Annie are “doing an incredible job incubating the three eggs,” which are expected to hatch on or around May 6, said Peterson. “Although we still don’t want to pretend like nothing was different about this year,” he added, “all signs are still pointing toward this being a successful hatch.”

This press release was produced by UC Berkeley News. The views expressed here are the author’s own.