If This Was A Normal Year

Morela at the Pitt peregrine nest, 17 Oct 2020 (snapshot from the National Aviary falconcam)

18 October 2020

In a normal year there would have been a successful peregrine nest at the Cathedral of Learning from February to June and practically no activity on the nestcam from July to January. It’s usually safe for me to ignore nestcam snapshots while the streaming falconcam is off in the non-breeding season. But not this year.

This fall the two male rivals, Terzo and Ecco, continue to vie for the site in their typical non-violent manner. In other words, no one gets hurt and no one wins. Meanwhile Morela waits at the nest and greets whoever shows up. On 5 October Ecco made several appearances with Morela. On 6 October Terzo showed up alone.

Eleven days later, 16 and 17 October, Terzo made several appearances with Morela and Ecco showed up alone.

Friday 16 October: Morela and Terzo bowed in the morning and evening. At midday Ecco showed up alone and shouted for Morela to come to him. She never did.

Terzo and Morela at Pitt peregrine nest, 16 Oct 2020, 10:26am
Ecco shouts for Morela to join him. She didn’t, 16 Oct 2020, 11:53am
Terzo and Morela at Pitt peregrine nest, 16 Oct 2020, 4:23pm

Saturday 17 October: Morela hung out at the nest (top photo) and Terzo showed up alone. No sign of Ecco.

Terzo at Pitt peregrine nest, 17 Oct 2020, 6:05pm

If this was a normal year I’d expect the two males to settle the question soon, leaving just one of them to rule the Cathedral of Learning.

This is not a normal year in more ways than one.

(photos from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)

2 thoughts on “If This Was A Normal Year

  1. It’s hard to root for one male over the other. At the same time, their continuing lack of dominance may result in another missed year for producing offspring. Not sure what will happen but whichever wins, I hope that the loser is not harmed and finds another mate/nest.

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