Live feeds offer real-time look into 5 Edmonton-area peregrine falcon nests

A peregrine falcon and her nest at the Shell Scotford Complex northeast of Edmonton on May 4, 2024. (Photo: Shell Scotford Peregrine Camera/Alberta Conservation Society)

Albertans are being invited into the homes of five feathered couples as they raise their families.

The Alberta Conservation Association has set up live cameras at five peregrine falcon nesting sites.

The cameras run 24 hours a day on the ACA website and YouTube, offering a glimpse of the birds as they hunt, court and care for their eggs and chicks. 

Peregrine falcons are the fastest members of the animal kingdom, able to dive at prey at more than 320 km/hour.

According to the Alberta government, the birds, which have historically nested along the banks of Alberta's rivers, faced a dramatic decline due to pesticide use in the 1950s and 60s.

In 1970, just three known breeding pairs existed in the province.

The banning of DDT, in conjunction with captive breeding programs, helped the population rebound but they remain an at-risk species in Alberta with between 50 and 60 breeding pairs.

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Peregrine falcons will lay their eggs and raise their chicks from mid-April until late in July, says the ACA. As of Saturday, at least two of the nests had eggs.

The birds will remain until September or October when they migrate south for the winter. 

For more information on the falcons or to tune in, visit the Alberta Conservation Association website. 

Bird watchers can also keep an eye on an endangered ferruginous hawk's nest, with a photo timeline available here.