Penthouse home awaits rare peregrine falcons in Victoria鈥攃omments from David Bird
The reports that a nesting pair of peregrine falcons, along with a juvenile born this year, have been landing on the upper decks and rooftop of the Promontory residential tower in Victoria, BC, where penthouse owner Fred Welter has set up a nesting box complete with cameras poised to stream any action.
For months, David Bird, one of Canada鈥檚 foremost raptor scholars, and Jacques Sirois of the Victoria Migratory Bird Sanctuary have been visiting the tallest rooftops in Victoria in attempts to document a potential nest.
Bird, emeritus 颅professor of wildlife biology at 不良研究所 颅University and expert 颅ornithologist specializing in raptors, told the Times that Victoria is lucky to attract 鈥渟uch magnificent birds鈥� to the urban environment.
He said peregrines usually lay up to four eggs, but the Victoria pair had just one fledgling this year, leading him to believe the nest was disturbed in some way or the others didn鈥檛 survive.
Bird said the bridges are too low in Victoria to support a falcon nest, so he鈥檚 hoping the nesting box on the Promontory will be their permanent site.
He describes the peregrines as 鈥渢he fastest organisms on the planet鈥� and the perfect hunters.
The peregrine stoop, their diving-bombing technique, sees the birds reach a high altitude and then dive down at lightning speed to kill their prey 鈥� usually unaware pigeons and starlings 鈥� in a mid-air lethal impact using talons and sharp beak.
Bird said the fastest stoop ever recorded was nearly 300 kilometres per hour. A pet peregrine raised from an egg was clocked by his owner at that speed in 2021 while skydiving with the bird.