If you've been near Founder’s Building over the past few weeks, you are likely to have been treated to the powerful, echoing calls of our Peregrine pair. These magnificent birds have chosen the South Tower as their nesting site, providing us with a rare opportunity to observe one of nature’s most fascinating spectacles close up on campus.
Our female Peregrine (technically the falcon; males are known as tercels, as they are roughly a third smaller than the females) is distinguishable by an orange ring. She was ringed as a chick two years ago at St. Mary’s Church in Andover, approximately 70 km west of Egham. This season marks her debut as a breeding adult, a milestone in her life and an exciting event for us at the University.
Peregrines are the fastest animals on the planet. During their hunting stoop (high-speed dive), they can reach speeds of up to 300 km/h, making them unparalleled avian predators. As a result, you might have noticed that our feral pigeons are quite sensibly a lot more wary than they used to be. Once on the brink of extinction in the UK due to pesticide poisoning, egg collecting and hunting, Peregrines have made a remarkable comeback, thanks to conservation efforts and legal protection. While traditionally cliff-dwellers, some peregrines now thrive in urban settings. Our cities’ tall structures mimic the high cliffs of their natural habitats, providing excellent vantage points for hunting and nesting.
It’s important to note that Peregrines are fully protected by law, and disturbance at a nest site is a criminal offence, so we will be enjoying the views from a distance. Watching these birds can be a thrilling experience, especially when seated outside at Crosslands – a good excuse for an al fresco coffee. If our peregrines breed successfully, we might soon witness their chicks taking their inaugural flights - a breathtaking sight against the iconic backdrop of Founder’s Building.
Mark
Professor Mark Fellowes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor