The peregrine falcon is a bird of prey that nests on high cliffs. In the 1950s and 1960s, the peregrine falcon population in the United States fell due to the use of pesticides and the birds were classified as an endangered species. Beginning in the 1960s, programs were put in place to reestablish the species.

In Grand Rapids, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources worked along with the group Peregrine Grand Rapids group to establish nesting sites in Grand Rapids. Urban areas with tall buildings provide a similar environment to the cliffs that the peregrine falcons historically nested in, and offer safety from their natural predators.

In 1986, a hack box (nest) was placed on top of the McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids. Young peregrine falcons were placed in the hack box each spring for three to four years, beginning in 1986. They learned to fly and hunt from the top of the McKay Tower. Most of the young peregrine falcons released in Grand Rapids survived to adulthood and left to nest in other locations. In 1988, additional nesting boxes were placed on the Michigan National Bank Building and Grand Valley State University's Eberhard Center.