Berkeley's Falcons

Annie in 2023

Berkeley has had a pair of peregrine falcons nesting at the top of the campanile in the center of University of California campus for several years. Annie is the matriarch and she started nesting there with her first partner who eventually died. Since then she has had other partners. Since peregrines tend to mate for life, it is believe that the other two also died, possibly of avian flu, but they were not tagged, so no one knows for sure. Annie's new mate is Archie who arrived recently, just in time to start the reproduction cycle, and has been doing a great job of parenting.

The university, via the Cal Falcons group, set up livestream cameras a few years ago. Right now everyone is watching the one pointed at the nest where there are four tiny, fluffy, white chicks. When they get older and start to move around and leave the nest, there will be more activity at the other cameras that are pointed to different ledges. All the cameras run 24/7 and can be found on YouTube or the Cal Falcons website. (Cal Falcons is also on Facebook and Instagram.)

Today, Saturday, we are watching the five-day-old chicks having their breakfast.  At first you see them on their own. (Know that one or both of the parents are nearby. The chicks are never unattended.) Then they start to squeal and a few seconds later one of the adults enters the nest. This is Archie. A few moments later Annie comes with breakfast and Archie leaves. There is no doubt that Annie is queen of the roost and calls the shots.

Click here to see the clip of today’s breakfast. Yum. 

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