Friday, 24 April 2026
Since Thursday morning Carla has been very fidgety on the eggs, often hunched over them with her back feathers raised and her wings in a protective position. Before she settles down she rocks side to side and peers under her belly.
What is she looking at?
Carla can hear one or more of her chicks tapping inside their eggshells, working their way toward making a pip and ultimately hatching.
[From inside the egg] Hatching is an energetically demanding process. The young chick uses its egg tooth, a small knob on top of its bill, to hammer a pip (hole) in the egg. It periodically works to break the egg around the pip area, but rests much of the time. The entire process from initial pip to hatch can take up to 72 hours. All the eggs in a Peregrine Falcon clutch generally hatch “synchronously” (within 24–48 hours for a clutch of 4).
— Richmond Peregrine Falconcam FAQ
As expected, it is very hard to see what the eggs look like. Often the only way to know a chick has hatched is to see a broken eggshell beyond Carla’s sheltering body.
Here’s what a “hatch” looks like (this was in 2024): Wet chick, pipped egg (white spot), discarded eggshell.
Will today be Hatch Day at the Pitt peregrine nest?
Stay tuned to the National Aviary falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning to find out.
I’ve been having the falcon cam on as background noise while I work these last couple days. I have no real knowledge of falcon behavior and this is the first time I’m really watching them around hatch time. I noticed how she’s been so fidgety and her mouth just hangs open and wondered if this was a sign of hatch time being just around the corner. Just a few minutes ago before typing this out I thought I saw a pip starting out in one of the eggs, so maybe it’s time!
A really great post, Kate! Thanks so much. It’s happening yet another year.
Per the aviary website the first egg hatched at 11:03 PM on April 24th.
Thank you, Joann!
All 4 eggs have hatched!