PITTSBURGH — The peregrine falcon pair perched atop Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning have welcomed their first chick, which was spotted on camera at 11:30 a.m. Monday.
The public can watch along on the National Aviary’s livestream camera at aviary.org as the duo begins to raise their first chick and prepare for their other three eggs to hatch.
[ PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Peregrine falcon lays 3rd egg in Cathedral of Learning nest ]
The current female falcon first arrived at the Cathedral of Learning nest site around May 2023, shortly before the last time Ecco’s former partner, Morela, was seen on camera. From a banding on the new falcon’s leg, the female was identified as “Carla,” a former nestling from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Carla laid her first egg on March 14, followed by the second egg on March 18, the third on March 19 and the final egg on March 21. Carla and Ecco shared incubation duties for the last three weeks, ensuring a safe and successful first hatching. The three additional eggs are expected to hatch over the next 24-48 hours.
“Viewers enjoying this season’s live-streaming camera are getting an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the raw and unfiltered world of wild Peregrine Falcons,” said Robert Mulvihill, ornithologist with the National Aviary. “Not only have they witnessed the laying of Carla and Ecco’s clutch, but will continue to see the fascinating upbringing of these chicks through a simple glance on their phone or computer screen. Bringing this type of immersive content into the eyes of viewers will continue to increase support for conserving the lives of birds and protecting their natural habitats.”
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