The pair of Peregrine Falcons at St Albans Cathedral that have captured the public’s interest since they first produced a chick in 2022 are breeding for the third year in succession. One of only five breeding pairs in Hertfordshire, the established couple have been sighted on and around the Cathedral since early spring. Following on from a webcam being installed at the Cathedral last year, which attracted 378k views, the public will once again be able to view all the action, live, from their nesting tray.

Peregrine Falcons normally mate for life and often remain loyal to their nest site each year so the Cathedral is now an established breeding ground. The webcam provides the public with a birds-eye view of the iconic birds of prey and the live feed is available for all to view via the Cathedral’s website.

Heidi Mansell, Engagement Manager at Herts and Middlesex Trust said:

“The nesting tray which contains shingle to replicate the Peregrine Falcons’ natural cliff-top nesting habitat was purposely installed high up on the Cathedral, to an area that the birds were known to be favouring in March 2022. The shingle provides the correct substrate for the Peregrines to be able to make their shallow nest 'scrape', simulating the birds natural nesting sites and providing them with a safe place to lay their eggs.

“The Trust is working with communities to inspire everyone to connect with and take action for local wildlife – being able to see these amazing birds in action gives everyone a chance to see the wonders of nature – in their homes and at our Peregrine Watch sessions, which we run in collaboration with the St Albans Local RSPB Group, in the Cathedral grounds. It’s been wonderful that since the tray’s installation, we’ve all been on a journey where we have seen four chicks successfully fledge the nest. There has been so much interest in the birds, it’s great to know that we’ll be able to get a close up view of their antics once again and I’m hopeful that we will see more chicks in 2024.”

A powerful bird of prey with blue/grey plumage, a white face and a contrasting black moustache, the Peregrine Falcon is extremely quick and agile. It holds the record for being not only the fastest bird in the world, but also the fastest member of the animal kingdom with a diving speed in excess of 200 miles per hour.

The number of breeding pairs of Peregrine Falcons in Southern England are gradually increasing and are mainly using high buildings such as cathedrals, churches and office blocks in our cities, towns and some villages, along with some more natural sites such as quarries. Despite this, the St Albans pair are thought to be one of only five pairs breeding in Hertfordshire. Other pairs have bred in Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City and Wymondley.

Barry Trevis has been studying breeding Peregrine Falcons across Hertfordshire to help ensure the species’ safety. Barry said:

“Numbers of Peregrine Falcons fell through the first-half of the twentieth century to critical levels in the 1960’s but today they are protected by law as a Schedule 1 listed species of The Wildlife and Countryside Act. It is now an offence to disturb the birds in any way, and this protection has had a positive effect on their numbers, which have slowly increased to a point where the national breeding population is now considered to be in excess of 1,700 pairs.

“The webcam is an excellent tool in helping us to monitor the breeding success of these birds at St Albans Cathedral. Should they be successful, we will look to ring the chicks which can help provide information on the birds, giving us valuable insights to their survival rates and movements.”

Canon Will Gibbs commented: “This is wonderful news and yet another expression of our core commitment to the environment and all creation and to the Cathedral and its grounds being a place of welcome for humans and animals alike.”

The webcam will be switched on, on Thursday 21 March, and you can explore the Peregrine Falcons’ behaviour on the Cathedral’s live feed here. 

Additionally, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust and the St Albans Local RSPB Group are organising Peregrine Watch within the grounds of the Cathedral over weekends throughout spring and summer enabling the community to find out more about these magnificent birds and get a close up view through telescopes and binoculars, which will be provided. A schedule of these events will be published online here.