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What’s Happening at the Nest?
We are happy to report that the fourth chick hatched on Friday, 4/26 at approximately 5:45 PM (roughly 58 hours after the first chick hatched), making 2024 the fourth year in a row that we’ve had four chicks on Falcon Cam! Newly hatched falcon chicks weigh approximately 30–40 grams (1.25 ounces) and are unable to fully thermoregulate (maintain core body temperature) for the first two weeks of life. This means the parents will continue to spend time on the nest “brooding” the chicks after they hatch. Based on the behaviors we’ve seen in previous years, we suspect the female will do the majority of brooding, while the male takes on most of the hunting duties to regularly provide the chicks with food.
For the first several days after hatching, peregrine chicks have fairly poor eyesight and respond primarily to adult vocalizations. As their sight improves between four and eight days, the nestlings will begin to distinguish and react by sight to the adults. Behaviors such as preening, scratching, and stretching will begin after the first week, although the chicks will also spend much of the time sleeping throughout the course of the next two weeks.
The adult male, 59/BM, perches on the lip of the nest box with the chicks visible behind him.
As evidenced by the presence of eggshells in the nest box, we can confirm that the first chicks have hatched. Pipping (the formation of hatching-related cracks on the eggshell) started on 4/23, with the first chick hatching at approximately 7:34 AM on 4/24. This chick was soon followed by a sibling who emerged from its egg roughly two hours later at 9:37 AM. Newly hatched falcon chicks weigh approximately 30–40 grams (1.25 ounces) and are unable to fully thermoregulate (maintain core body temperature) for the first two weeks of life. This means the parents will continue to spend time on the nest “brooding” the chicks after they hatch.
4/25 update: The third chick hatched at approximately 3:45 AM on 4/25. Since then, the chicks have received multiple feedings and the fourth egg appears to be pipping which indicates we are likely to see a fourth chick within the next 24 hours.
4/26 update: The three hatched chicks continue to receive regular care from both adults. We are continuing to monitor the fourth egg. At this point we would have expected it to have hatched as the eggs in a Peregrine Falcon clutch typically hatch within 48 hours following the first chick’s hatch. However, rare instances of hatching occurring beyond that 48 hour time interval have been documented in the past and as such we will continue to monitor the nest throughout the weekend.
The female feeds the two currently hatched chicks.
The first chick to hatch, seen for a few seconds, prior to being re-positioned back under the brooding female.
At this point, if a fifth egg was to be laid it would have happened by now which makes 2024 the fifth year in a row that 95/AK has laid a clutch of four eggs! Now that egg laying is complete, we can begin looking forward to the hatching of the chicks, which we estimate will begin sometime between April 24th and 26th. Until that time, expect to see both male and female on camera nearly continuously as they incubate the eggs.
- Read more updates in the archive…
Internet service to the Falcon Cam provided courtesy of Comcast Business.
The DWR Falcon Cam follows the breeding season of a peregrine falcon pair that nests in downtown Richmond, Virginia. The nest box is located atop the Riverfront Plaza building. If you’re in the area, look up! You may catch a glimpse of the famous birds! We hope each year that the pair will once again choose to nest at this site, so that our camera may provide an educational experience for all to enjoy.