Watch the birdie: Livestream of peregrine falcons nesting at the top of Old Joe launches
The livestream will show the nesting pair of peregrine falcons who have made their home in the tallest freestanding clock tower in the world.
Birders and wildlife lovers will now be able to see a nesting pair of peregrine falcons at the top of the University of Birmingham's Joseph Chamberlin Memorial Clock Tower, affectionately known as Old Joe, in close detail, thanks to a new nest box livestream.
Launched by the University of Birmingham, the livestream will be available for members of the public to watch and enjoy on the university website and YouTube channel. The livestream will run whilst the falcons are nesting, and shows an up-close view of the nesting box, which currently contains four eggs.
Steve Jordan, Director of Estates at the University of Birmingham, said: “We are thrilled that the peregrines have returned to campus to nest and hopefully raise several chicks. The University of Birmingham has worked hard over the years to make Old Joe a safe and welcoming place for the birds, so it is heartening to see this work result in four eggs this year. The University of Birmingham is dedicated to providing a safe space for wildlife across our campus, as reflected by becoming a Nature Positive University signatory last year, and our biodiversity plan. We are delighted to be able to share some of the positive results of this work with our communities, both on campus and now further afield through the livestream.”
There are approximately only 1,800 pairs of peregrine falcons in the UK today, and the University of Birmingham campus has been home to nesting peregrine falcons every spring since 2013, although falcons have been spotted on campus since the early 90s.
The University of Birmingham has worked hard over the years to make Old Joe a safe and welcoming place for the birds, so it is heartening to see this work result in four eggs this year.
Over the last 30 years, committed members of the University's academic and estates staff and alumni community have worked hard to make these beautiful birds of prey feel right at home, including installing a heavy-duty nest box in Old Joe.
Peregrines don’t build their own nests. In the wild, they favour high vantage points such as cliffs and rocky outcrops, where they can settle into a sheltered spot on the rocks and make a depression in the gravel, so Old Joe is the perfect choice for the Birmingham birds.
Historically, UK peregrines lay three or four eggs per year between the 4th week of March and the 4th week of April, with the female laying her clutch over an 8 to 10 day period. Incubation starts with the laying of the penultimate or final egg to help ensure that all chicks hatch at a similar time, reducing differences in size and the risk of them outcompeting each other for food.
The livestream will give people a chance to see peregrine falcon behaviour up close, from hunting and eating their prey, to nesting, incubating their eggs and hopefully the successful hatching and fledging of chicks.
Once the last egg is laid, both parents share the job of incubation. On average, it takes between 29 and 32 days for a single egg to hatch. The chicks fledge between 35 and 40 days, depending on food availability. It can take over three months from re-establishing the nest site, through laying, to eventual fledging of the chicks. The fledglings are generally reliant on the adults for the next two months until they become independent.
Zoe Hurley, Head of Sustainability at the University of Birmingham, said: “The livestream will give people a chance to see peregrine falcon behaviour up close, from hunting and eating their prey, to nesting, incubating their eggs and hopefully the successful hatching and fledging of chicks. It is wonderful that people will be able to learn more about these beautiful and protected birds, without disturbing them.”
Whilst the falcons are nesting, all major activity on Old Joe pauses, including stopping access to the balcony and belfry, so as not to disturb the birds.
You can find more information about the peregrine falcons that call the University of Birmingham home, and see the livestream on the University of Birmingham website.
Notes for editors
Notes for editors
For more information, please contact Ellie Hail, Communications Officer, University of Birmingham at e.hail@bham.ac.uk or alternatively on +44 (0)7966 311 409. You can also contact the press office on +44 (0) 121 414 2772.
About the University of Birmingham
- The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, educators and more than 40,000 students from over 150 countries.
- England’s first civic university, the University of Birmingham, is proud to be rooted in one of the most dynamic and diverse cities in the country. A member of the Russell Group and a founding member of the Universitas 21 global network of research universities, the University of Birmingham has been changing the way the world works for more than a century.
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