Peregrine falcon chick in Cathedral of Learning nest dies
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- One of the peregrine falcon chicks in the nest on Pitt's Cathedral of Learning has died.
The chick, which was the third to hatch, was having a hard time during feedings and showed other signs it may not survive, like moving away from the other chicks and facing away from its mom Carla, National Aviary ornithologist Bob Mulvihill explained.
Despite the loss of their siblings, the other two hatchlings, which people can watch live on the aviary's FalconCam, are doing well. They're almost too big to brood now, giving viewers a better look.
Carla laid four eggs last month. There still appears to be another egg in the nest, but the aviary didn't give an update on that one.
"It's important to remember that these nest cams give us a view into the wild world of birds, and while it's not our role to intervene, we can learn a lot from studying these behaviors," the aviary wrote in a Facebook post.
The National Aviary has been documenting the adventures of Carla and her mate Ecco since February. Carla is new to the nest this year after the previous female Morela ended last season without any eggs and disappeared around May. Carla laid claim to the nest box and Ecco shortly after that, the aviary says.
The death of the peregrine falcon chick isn't the first loss Pittsburgh birdwatchers have seen this spring. The Hays eagle nest is empty this year after the couple's single egg broke in March.
