Are They Getting Enough to Eat? … and other worries

Hope and Terzo with 2 chicks, 1 May 2016 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
Hope and Terzo with 2 chicks, 1 May 2016 (photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)

As we watch the chicks at the Cathedral of Learning peregrine nest, some of you wonder if they’re getting enough to eat.  Others think Terzo isn’t hunting because Hope always brings the food to the nest.

THIS IS FIXED! An Internet problem: We couldn’t see the nestcam on the Aviary website. THIS IS FIXED!

Here are some Peregrine FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) that explain what’s going on.

There’s a lot going on.

 

p.s. Have a question about peregrines? Check my Peregrine FAQs page for lots more information.

(photo from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)

41 thoughts on “Are They Getting Enough to Eat? … and other worries

  1. Kate, Thanks for the reminder that the peregrine’s world is so much bigger than what we see on camera.

  2. Thanks for the information Kate! I do have a few questions – I hope you haven’t answered them yet (as to not be redundant).

    Since Peregrines have sequenced hatching, are you concerned about the size difference between C1 and C3 and the potential difference between those two and C4 (if the last one does hatch)?

    Furthermore, is the last egg even going to hatch? My thought is that egg is Terzo’s because it wasn’t due to hatch until yesterday anyway – so could it still be viable?

    If it is not Terzo’s, could C2 have been Terzo’s and was premature? Is this even possible in hatchlings? I am sure you can’t really answer these last few questions (yet or at all), but I thought I would ask anyway.

    Thanks for your time!

    1. Kristen, here are some quick answers:
      Size differences? Don’t matter. Peregrines do not exhibit sibling rivalry like eagles do.
      Will the last egg hatch? I have no idea. Yes, it is probably Terzo’s.
      Was C2 premature? Doubtful.

  3. Thank you, Kate, for the information and the camera fix. I think it’s going to cut down on my viewing because I have limited time and many cameras to check, but I’m sure I’ll do it at least once a day. This nest is very interesting.

  4. Yes, the best for mobile users is the Wild Earth cam, the Puffin browser works best for that.

  5. THE AVIARY WEBSITE PROBLEM IS FIXED! You don’t have to do anything special to see the camera.

  6. I’m not quite sure why – maybe it’s the way he’s constantly looking around – but Terzo always looks vaguely puzzled to me, in a cute way. I realize that’s just me and that he does indeed know what he’s doing (I’m sure the local pigeons don’t find him puzzled or cute!), but something about him always makes me chuckle =) He seems like such a good dad/stepdad!

  7. Thanks Kate for all the great info. I am still concerned about the little ones not being fed. It didn’t look like anything was brought into the nest today. Maybe I just missed it.

  8. Kate, In many of your blogs you mention that the CL peregrines cache food on the “cliff”. During your observations have you located any of those caches? And if so, where are they on the Cathedral? Thanks Dave

    1. Dave, the caches are at inaccessible architectural decorations on the building, very high up. No human can reach them without scaffolding. Come to Fledge Watch in June (date to be announced) and I will point them out.

  9. I shouldn’t count my eyas before they’re hatched, and possibly not even when they hatch, but if the last egg doesn’t hatch, is it possible that C3 is Terzo’s? And that the last egg was the third one Hope laid after E2’s demise? What is the last day the last egg could possibly hatch?

    1. Robin, because incubation lasts 30-33 days the 4th egg is Terzo’s. 4th egg was laid on April 2. Add 30-33+ days and you get May 2-5, not Apr 29&30 (the hatch dates of C1 & C3)

    1. Robin, thanks for this news article about the peregrine pair in Montana. Once again peregrine falcons are the “canary in the coal mine” when it comes to chemicals in the environment.

    1. If you can see the dark box with spinning wheel (and yes, it’s there), then it is not a problem in Pittsburgh & there are no fixes for it here. The problem is at WildEarth. I believe someone has already contacted WildEarth about it.

  10. I know we are still awaiting C4 but I am curious about development in general and banding day in particular. I love seeing C1 and C3 together and the obvious difference in size makes it easy to tell who is who. The difference with C4 is going to be even greater. Such a learning experience to see all the ages/stages in one place for comparison.

    I understand Peregrines are not like eagles and that’s good news. Will we see the younger ones catch up? Will Hope and Terzo feed and move the youngest along to equalize them? Does that even make sense?

    Banding day interests me. If C4 hatches, it will be at least a week behind. Will they all be banded together? (How could they not?) Won’t that be cool to band and have a record of which are Hope and E2 birds and a Hope and Terzo bird? I know folks were wishing for DNA identification and such, but might the simple fact we have these hatching dates allow us to know and track on banding day? I’m counting the birds before they all hatch, but seems like a week different in age/development could make banding day tricky?

    1. Yes, Jenn, Banding Day will be tricky. The Game Commission is waiting to see if the last egg hatches before making plans.

  11. Kate, do you feel that the interruptions, and Hope and Terzo’s getting to know each other will be a factor if the fourth egg does not hatch? Thanks Janet

    1. Janet, the 4th egg had far fewer interruptions than the other 3. So no.

  12. Kate, I really hope I am wrong here. Hope just fed someone said she was feeding the egg. I was wondering if you could look back and see approx 5 minutes ago.

  13. Kate, I don’t want to alarm anybody, but somewhere around 2am Hope started nudging C3 as he was not moving. She tried to pick it up and still did not move. She got up and she seems to know something is not right. My heart is completely shattered.

  14. Thursday May 5: It is foggy this morning in Pittsburgh. The peregrines are staying at home until the fog clears.

  15. Good morning, Kate: It looks as tho we’ve lost the 2nd chick … there’s not been any movement from the little fellow, even during this most recent feeding.

  16. Has anyone else noticed C3 did not move when Hope brought breakfast in. Afterwards C3 still appears to be motionless. Please tell me I’m wrong

    1. There was a brief power failure in the area where the cams are located. The power has come back on and the cameras are up.

  17. So sad … it looked as tho C2 was beating him out of any food offered yesterday and he didn’t appear strong enough to stand his ground. I’m just so sorry that will all the other adversities this pair has been through, he didn’t make it.

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