Ever since a camera was installed on the top of 367 Collins Street five years ago, bird lovers everywhere have watched a pair of peregrine falcons lay and hatch their eggs. During lockdown in particular, these falcons made for some especially thrilling and wholesome content. Now, the birds are back, and there’s two eggs so far. Welcome to Season 2022 of Melbourne’s favourite peregrine pair. Catch the live stream here:
Peregrine Falcons on 367 Collins
The live stream began on August 25, when the first eggs were laid. The stream will continue to remain active until the fledglings this year leave the nest. Peregrine falcons mate for life, and they only breed once a year. They lay their eggs around the end of winter or the start of spring and their chicks hatch roughly a month later.
Ever since 1991, a pair of peregrine falcons have made the rooftop of 367 Collins Street their nesting home. As birds of prey, these falcons are territorial, so this is the only nesting site in Melbourne’s CBD.
This pair of birds is watched over carefully by a group of volunteers from the Victorian Peregrine Project, in conjunction with BirdLife Australia. These citizen scientists conduct field research and raise awareness to help with conservation efforts.
If you’d like to learn more about the birds, wildlife ecologist Dr Victor Hurley will discuss findings from nearly 30 years of field research on peregrine falcons across Victoria at a talk in Brunswick Town Hall on September 5. He will also have information about this particular breeding pair. This seminar is free to attend.
Meanwhile, if you’re particularly invested in their lives, you can also join the Facebook group, 367 Collins Falcon Watchers, for some spirited discussion.