10 March 2025

Did you know that peregrines touch beaks during courtship?

As egg laying time approaches, Pitt peregrines Ecco and Carla have been courting four and five times a day and engaging in long bowing sessions. Yesterday’s courtship included several touching moments beak-to-beak (shown below without distracting audio).

After Ecco left, Carla stayed at the nest for more than an hour stretching, snoozing, sunning, puttering , and preening. This is a good sign that she’s getting into breeding condition.

Carla putters at the nest, 9 March 2025
(snapshots from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ. of Pittsburgh)

We will know egg laying will happen soon when Carla spends the night at the nest.

Watch her at the National Aviary falconcam at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning.