Wild peregrine falcon chicks hatch at UC Berkeley on Earth Day

Amy Larson
·2 min read
Wild peregrine falcon chicks hatch at UC Berkeley on Earth Day

(KRON) — Two tiny peregrine falcon chicks hatched in their pebble nest on top of the University of California, Berkeley’s Campanile Bell Tower on Earth Day.

The wild chicks hatched within hours of each other on Monday morning. Their proud parents, falcons Annie and Archie, watched closely as their newborns emerged, along with several falcon fans viewing from a livestreamed nest cam.

Newborn falcon chicks are seen on April 22, 2024. (Image courtesy UC Berkeley / Cal Falcon Cam)
Newborn falcon chicks are seen on April 22, 2024. (Image courtesy UC Berkeley / Cal Falcon Cam)

Bird experts with Cal Falcon Cam explained on X, “The chick will dry off quickly and its down feathers will turn into a warm, cozy pile of fluff. Annie will occasionally nibble on egg shells. It helps her regain the calcium she used to create the egg — which is leached from her bones.”

The first egg is seen hatching on April 22, 2024. (Image courtesy UC Berkeley / Cal Falcon Cam)
The first egg is seen hatching on April 22, 2024. (Image courtesy UC Berkeley / Cal Falcon Cam)

There are still two more speckled eggs that have not yet hatched. You can watch the Cal Falcon Cam’s livestream from the nest at calfalcons.berkeley.edu.

Annie was first spotted establishing her territory at the 300-foot-tall bell tower in 2016. “In totally natural areas, Peregrine Falcons nest on cliffs. When they are in cities, tall buildings can act as perfect stand-ins for cliffs. The Campanile is very well protected from predators and human interference and gives the chicks a safe space to grow and learn how to fly,” UC Berkeley’s bird researchers wrote.

A second egg is seen hatching on April 22, 2024. (Image courtesy UC Berkeley / Cal Falcon Cam)
A second egg is seen hatching on April 22, 2024. (Image courtesy UC Berkeley / Cal Falcon Cam)

Annie is a supermom. The female falcon is about 10 years old and in her eighth hatching season at UC Berkeley.

Her former mate, Grinnell, was fatally struck by a car in March of 2022. Another male falcon, Alden, arrived at the Campanile soon after, followed by falcon Lou. During the 2023 hatching season, the falcons successfully hatched three chicks: Luna, Rosa, and Zephyr. Lou later went missing.

Archie paired up with Annie in January, just in time for the 2024 breeding season. The couple doted on their white and fluffy newborn chicks Monday afternoon. “Archie got to meet his new chicks for the first time, and he even got to keep an eye on them — until Annie returned with lunch,” UC Berkeley’s bird researchers wrote.

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