1 June 2026

Yesterday was pretty boring at 11:00am Fledge Watch because the young peregrines slept most of the time (photo below). Five hours later they perked up and at 5pm “Blue” disappeared from camera view. Here’s where he went and a prediction for the days ahead.

Sleeping at 11:40am, 5/31 while we watched from Schenley Plaza. (boring)

Pitt peregrine youngsters perked up around 4pm. At 4:54pm Blue jumped up to the Nestrail, the 1st milestone, and made it to the Launch Zone.

Here’s how Blue’s exit looked on the streaming cam. He rev’ed himself up before he left.

The streaming view is not wide enough to see where Blue went but the snapshot camera saw it in this series of pre- and post-exit snapshots. At 9:08pm Blue returned to the nest for the night.

Photos of Blue’s exit and return:

Now that the first youngster has made it to the Launch Zone the others will follow as soon as they can.

Prediction: Fledge Watch

Fledge Watch is going to be much more exciting this week, helped by being scheduled during their most active time of day. I predict that at least one juvenile will be visible on the nest rail this evening, maybe two. The more the merrier!

• 1 June, 6:30pm to 7:30pm (Monday) –> 1 or maybe 2 on the Nestrail
• 2 June, 4:30pm to 5:30pm (Tuesday) –> Likely to be the best day to watch.
• 3 June, 4:30pm to 5:30pm (Wednesday)
• 4 June, 6:30pm to 7:30pm (Thursday)
• 5 June, 6:30pm to 7:30pm (Friday) — to be determined, depending on weather and whether they’ve all flown.

Prediction: When Will They Fly?

I may be wrong, but I think …

• Blue (male) will be the first to fly, maybe on Wednesday, certainly by Thursday.
• Carla’s youngsters tend to fledge close together even though they are different sexes and ages. I predict the rest of them will fly by Friday 5 June.

Stop by the Schenley Plaza tent for Pitt Peregrine Fledge Watch. In fact you can watch while I’m not there. Here’s a visual guide on where to look for the peregrines on the Cathedral of Learning.

24 May 2026

As of Saturday 23 May, the Pitt peregrine chicks reached the age of four weeks old. Here’s a look at their development in the past week in a day-by-day slideshow from the National Aviary’s falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning. The age span is 22 to 28 days, date span is 17-23 May 2026.

As you watch the slideshow notice how the chicks change from mostly white to very speckled.

At 25 days (on Banding Day): Their body contour and back feathers are visible and they begin to stand and walk on their feet though they still rest on their tarsi (heels).  Because they’re standing up they have room to flap their wings.

At 27 days : Regularly walk on feet rather than tarsi (heels).

At 28 days (4 weeks): Body feathers give the chicks a speckled look that camouflages them on the nest.  They beg loudly. Their wings look longer and fuller as the wing feathers grow.  Now they will open their wings and run across the gravel surface.  They have not left the nest surface yet. 

The following 2+ minutes of their activity shows those traits.

In the week ahead their feathers will grow rapidly and push out the down and they will spend a lot their time preening.

Watch the Pitt peregrine chicks grow and change at the National Aviary falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning.

21 May 2026

Yesterday morning four peregrine falcon chicks were banded at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning by Patti Barber, Endangered Bird Biologist from the PA Game Commission (PGC).

This is the third year Carla has nested at Pitt so she knew it was Banding Day when she heard us indoors. Carla began kakking and strafing the area long before Patti Barber went out on the ledge to collect the chicks.

Soon Ecco joined her, visible as a checkmark shape in the sky above Carla.

Indoors, the chicks were given health checks (they’re very healthy), weighed, and given two leg bands: a black/green color band that can be read through binoculars and a silver USFW band.

Since male peregrines are one-third smaller than females, the chicks’ weight determines their sex and the size of band to use. Weighed in the bag, females are generally 1000g or more and males are 700g or less. Of the four chicks, one was clearly male, two were clearly female and one was borderline so it was given female bands.

Patti put colored tape on the silver USFW bands so we can identify the birds by color on the falconcam. The colors and sexes are:

• Red = male
• Blue = borderline. “sex undetermined” Given female bands in case it’s female
• Green = female
• Yellow = female

Patti collected and returned the chicks in colored bags, red, green, blue and orange. Watch how quickly they calm down after Patti leaves.

By the end of this month the chicks will turn from fluffy white to dark brown, then leave the camera view before they fledge. Watch them on the National Aviary falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning, then join me for Fledge Watch at Schenley Plaza in the first week of June. Stay tuned for specific dates and times.

20 May 2026: Another installment in All Peregrines, All The Time.

The peregrine family at the Cathedral of Learning is in for some excitement today. Carla and Ecco’s four chicks will be banded this morning.

Just after 9:00am Patti Barber of the Pennsylvania Game Commission will venture out on the Cathedral of Learning ledge.  Don’t be shocked when you hear the adult peregrines “kakking,” see the chicks huddle and watch as Patti gently collect them for banding.

The chicks will receive health checks and leg bands and will be returned to the nest in less than half an hour. The National Aviary falconcam will continue to run during the banding so you’ll get to see their return.

Watch my blog later today for photos of the event and an update on who’s who.

19 May 2026

As of last Saturday, 16 May, the Pitt peregrine chicks were three weeks old. Here’s a look at their development to reach Week 3 in a day-by-day slideshow from the National Aviary’s falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning. The age span is 15 to 21 days, date span is 10-16 May 2026.

As you watch the slideshow notice how fast the chicks are growing. There’s a big change in seven days.

At 15 days: Chicks now sit upright and alert. Their primaries have emerged from the feather sheaths. (photo below)

At 16 to 19 days: Chicks grow quickly during this period and become covered in heavy down. They motor around the nest on their heels (tarsi).

At 20 Days: Heavy down is complete. Dark contour feathers are visible on their wing edges. Chicks now have a “face.”

At 21 Days (3 weeks):  Chicks are now nearly the same size as their parents. Feathers define their faces. Wing and tail feather tips define their contours. Chicks very active on gravel surface and often sleep individually instead of in a pile.

By next Saturday their dark brown wing and tail feathers and their growing body feathers will give them a speckly brown-on-white look.

Watch the Pitt peregrines grow up at the National Aviary falconcam at the Cathedral of Learning.