Peregrine Cam
Downtown Phoenix Peregrine Falcons
The live feed is brought to you through a cooperative agreement between Maricopa County and the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
New! Interesting information on the peregrines and their nesting behavior
Notice to Viewers
Please remember that these are wild animals and, like all wildlife, are subject to the unpredictablity of nature. It is not uncommon for one or more of the young birds to die before reaching fledging age. It is the intention of the department not to interfere with these nesting birds. While you are viewing the camera, you may witness a variety of behaviors that may seem cruel, including predation on other wild birds and even the young of the nesting peregrines themselves. It is important to remember, wild animals are neither cruel nor kind, good nor bad, but merely animals that are the products of countless years of evolution. An intimate view into the lives of wildlife is a rare privilege, and we hope that you enjoy and learn from this experience.
If you enjoy this streaming video you can help support it and other wildlife viewing program activities by making a donation.
Peregrine falcons have been nesting in the downtown Phoenix area for more than a decade. Early on, the birds selected the Maricopa County Administration Building as a nest site. An agreement with the county now allows the Arizona Game and Fish Department to monitor the birds' nesting progress. The Arizona Game and Fish Department constructed a nest box equipped with a live feed video camera and tried to entice the falcons to use the nest box, but efforts failed. Two different designs, both built by Mesa woodworker Glenn Bollinger, remained unused by the birds. The female instead chose to nest in a gutter adjacent to the box where she was seldom successful. Over a seven year period, only two chicks survived to the age of fledging.
In 2014, the female peregrine disappeared and was replaced that nesting season by another that did use the nest box. Two eggs were laid but failed to hatch. Early in 2016, preparations began to upgrade the video feed that no longer worked due to technological advancements.
The birds used the nest box again in 2015, laying three eggs in late March. All three eggs hatched. However, only two of the young fledged. The third left the nest box and, despite the best efforts of the department, could not be located and presumably died.
In early 2016, the nest box was renovated and state-of-the-art streaming video and audio equipment was installed in anticipation of the falcons using the nest box again this season. Since the renovation, the peregrines have been spending more time at the nest box, indicating they intend to nest there again this year. Peregrine falcons usually return to the same nest for many years.
