Lord of the Wind -- Chisos Basin Visitor Center, Big Bend NP TX - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

This striking bronze sculpture of a Peregrine falcon, "Lord of the Wind," stands in front of the Chisos Basin Visitor Center at Big Bend National park. Sculptor Bob Coffee has captured the grace and beauty of this amazing bird.

Peregrine falcons have always thrived in the Chisos Mountains, but elsewhere their continued existence as a species was direly threatened by DDT and other factors. After decades of conservation actions and recovery, the Peregine falcon is off the Endangered Species list, and is thriving.

The statue of a life-sized Peregrine falcon on a twisted and dead desert tree about to take flight is made of bronze and is set on a pedestal made of native Big Bend Sandstone from near La Harmonia Store and the Hot Springs.

The plaque on the pedestal reads:

"LORD OF THE WIND
Sculptor – Bob Coffee
Dedicated Feb 15, 2008

This sculpture of a life-size Peregrine falcon is donated by the friends of the Big Bend national Park to celebrate the spectacular raptor - a native Big Bend species and symbolic of the wild spirit of this great country.

“Peregrine” means “wanderer”, and refers to this Falcons migration of up to 15,500 miles per year. In areas with mild winters, like Big Bend, they may remain year-round. These are the fastest birds on Earth, diving at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour to strike prey in mid-air.

Peregrine falcons often return to the same breeding sites each year, where they establish their aeries high on cliff ledges. They billed no nests, but scratch out a shallow depression to hold their eggs. Some also make their homes atop tall buildings in large cities.

Once endangered by DDT poisoning, Peregrine falcons have now been removed from the endangered species list. Many areas were greatly assisted by captive breeding and restocking programs, but Big Bend’s population is completely natural - never manipulated by humans.

In 2001, money raised by the friends of Big Bend National Park funded monitoring of this national park’s Peregrine falcon population."

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Lord of the Wind Figure Type: Animal Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Bob Coffee Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 15 Feb 2008 Materials used: bronze (sculpture) local sandstone (pedestal) Location: Chisos Basin Visitor Center, Big Bend NP TX

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/24/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it