New footage shows tiny peregrine falcon chick hatching from University of Leeds nest

The university has said that the birds of prey have laid four eggs this year - and the latest chick has hatched after a month-long incubation period.

The female falcon is identified as ‘7.H’ by the ring on her leg. That means that the university has worked out she hatched in Stoke-on-Trent six years ago, while the male – known as a tiercel - is not ringed.

Michael Howroyd, Sustainability Projects Officer and Biodiversity programme lead at The University of Leeds, said: “It’s wonderful to see the safe arrival of a peregrine chick here at Leeds today.

“The University is continually working to shape and support biodiversity on campus and it is great to see that we are a valuable urban location for wildlife to thrive.”

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Peregrine Falcons have been nesting intermittently on the Parkinson Tower at The University of Leeds since 2018. In that time 11 chicks have successfully hatched.   

The falcons are the fastest creatures on the planet, reaching speeds of up to 200mph when diving down to catch their prey. The peregrine is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.

The university is a corporate partner of the RSPB and is also a Gold Corporate member of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, working in partnership on a range of initiatives. Falcons hatched at the University of Leeds are ringed by a local licenced ringer, which helps track and identify them in future.  

Also supporting the monitoring of the peregrines is a team of people including Leslie Arkless, Analytical Technician in Microstructure Materials Characterisation at the University of Leeds. Les has worked alongside the Yorkshire Wildlife trust for 15 years and has been actively involved in developing our knowledge of the peregrines to ensure we can work alongside nature to manage our campus.   

He said: “As a birder with a general interest in wildlife, it has been good to see the biodiversity on campus increase since I first started at the University over 14 years ago. We are looking forward to following the birds’ journeys as they fledge the nest.”