And we have lift off! The famous Collins St Peregrine Falcon chicks have taken flight for another year with fans able to watch the exciting moment happen on livestream.
BirdLife Australia shared on Twitter the exciting moment of three of the four chicks fledging which happened on November 8th, 2021.
And we have lift off!
— BirdLife Australia (@BirdlifeOz) November 8, 2021
Today, three out of four of the Collins St Peregrine Falcon chicks have taken the plunge – leaping from the ledge of a window high above Melbourne, much to the delight of their many fans. The fourth chick should be fledging soon, so don’t look away! pic.twitter.com/r9H9hcexvO
@BirdlifeOz wrote:
Today, three out of four of the Collins St Peregrine Falcon chicks have taken the plunge – leaping from the ledge of a window high above Melbourne, much to the delight of their many fans. The fourth chick should be fledging soon, so don’t look away!
Peregrines are fiercely territorial birds, and soon the fledglings will be driven away from home. But for now, they’ll be following and learning from their parents how to hunt – until they make their first kill, when they'll have to establish their own territories far from home.
The falcons have been nesting on 367 Collins Street for 30 years, since 1991 and have developed a following of fans who eagerly wait for each season where the chicks hatch and take flight. The stream has been running since 2016 and can be watched on Youtube below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547SDXFRTXU
In late August, four eggs were laid and hatched on September 30 at around 8:30am.
Cuteness alert! There are now three #peregrine falcon hatchlings. #CollinsStreet #Melbourne #GoodNewsToday 🐣 🐣 🐣 pic.twitter.com/vJNAYhbmqG
— Lisa Wheildon (@wheeliebinit) September 30, 2021
Regular watchers can follow updates on a dedicated Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/367collinsfalcons/
Wot you looking at? Relax, we're next to leave the nest, OK? #367collinsfalcons #367collinsstfalcons #falcons #melbournefalcons #peregrinefalcons #peregrine #melbourne #melb #mirvac #collinsstreet #collinsst pic.twitter.com/CxPXoduXh6
— Keep Melbourne Marvellous (@KeepMelbMarv) November 9, 2021
Peregrine Falcons are birds of prey with astonishing speeds (in excess of 320km per hour) and have the title of the fastest animal on earth. The nesting site on 367 Collins Street is the only known nesting site in Melbourne's CBD and is an important part in the breeding of these territorial birds.
Image Credit: (@BirdlifeOz / Twitter)