Akron’s peregrine falcons had a rough year, but the birds fared well elsewhere in Ohio.Two of Akron’s young birds died: one was small and weak, the other flew into a building. A third Akron bird was injured and required rehabilitation. It later was released into the wild, said spokeswoman Laura Graber of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.The fourth bird fledged, or flew off on its own, without incident.The four young birds, all females, were hatched in a nesting box on the 11th floor of the Landmark Building in downtown Akron. The parents are Bandit and Chesapeake.In 2011, there were 39 territorial pairs in Ohio, and 34 of those pairs nested and produced 111 eggs, said the Division of Wildlife.A total of 26 nests hatched young and 24 nests fledged 67 young birds that flew off on their own, the state said.Last year, Ohio had 34 nesting pairs. They hatched at least 100 eggs, of which 67 young birds fledged.This year, four young falcons fledged from a nest on the Ohio Turnpike Bridge (Interstate 80) in Boston Township in northern Summit County. The parents are Rocky and Lara.In Canton, Maverick and Mystic hatched and fledged four youngsters from a nest on the BankOne Building.A new nest on the state Route 82 bridge between Sagamore Hills Township and Brecksville hatched one chick, said wildlife biologist Meg Plona of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.The chick died later. Officials are not sure of the cause, Plona said. The adult birds were identified by bands as McKinley and Strike.This year, Ohio had two new territorial pairs of falcons at Grace Cathedral, the former Cathedral of Tomorrow, in Cuyahoga Falls and at a coal-fired power plant in Avon Lake.Those birds appeared to claim territory but did not build nests or raise young, officials said.In addition, there were five Ohio sites with single falcons, the state said.Cuyahoga County has the most peregrine falcon nests with seven in Cleveland and one each in Lakewood, Valley View, Brook Park and Shaker Heights.One Canton female bird hatched in 2009 nested this year in the Niagara River Gorge in Ontario.Falcons typically lay eggs in late March or early April. The eggs hatch about a month later.Ohio’s first falcons nested in 1988 at the Commodore Perry hotel in Toledo.The state released young falcons from 1989-1993 in Akron and elsewhere in Ohio. Similar efforts were undertaken in other Midwest states to boost falcon numbers.The crow-sized birds were federally endangered until 1999. In 2008, Ohio changed the birds’ status from endangered to threatened as their numbers grew.The birds can dive at speeds of 200 mph. They feed on smaller birds.Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjournal.com.