Peregrines hatch at Worcester Cathedral for first time in over a decade

These incredible pictures are the first look at the chicks, which are the first peregrines born at the cathedral since 2010.

The four chicks hatched in April after a mated pair of peregrines nested, laying four eggs in a nestbox installed at the iconic city building. 

Chris Dobbs, Biodiversity Advisor for the Cathedral, said: “This is fantastic news for the Cathedral and the city as a whole.

“Worcester is an incredibly biodiverse place, and the peregrines are part of that.

“The cathedral has done a great job in making sure the peregrines have bred very successfully this year, for the first time since 2010, which was on St Andrew’s Spire on Deansway.”

“This is a new pair of peregrines that have taken the territory and we now have four healthy chicks.”

Four chicks have been born at the cathedral

Since hatching in April, the chicks have been monitored by a team of experts from the British Trust for Ornithology.

On Tuesday, ringers from the BTO rung the chicks, measured their wing spans,and weighed and recorded them on the national database.

Passers-by may have heard the commotion on Tuesday morning, with the chicks making themselves heard during the process.

Each ring has a unique letter code so the bird can be identified in the future, with peregrines able to live for more than 15 years.

The chicks have been given rings which will allow experts to monitor them throughout their lives

The chicks are expected to fledge - grow feathers that will let them fly - at around 45-50 days old, so roughly around mid-June.

Until then, experts will continue to keep an eye on their development and a livestream of the nest will be available on the cathedral’s website in the coming weeks.

Mr Dobbs added: “Although peregrines are still quite rare, they are recovering well in the UK, largely due to the new habitats they take up in cities, of which Worcester is a great example.

“The birds love cathedral towers because they are similar to their natural habitat nesting sites, which include quarry faces, sea cliffs, and mountainsides, as they like to have a high prospect looking over the area of their territory, which Cathedral towers and other tall buildings in cities provide.

“Peregrines mate for life, so we can expect this pair to return to the cathedral, hopefully for many years to come.

“Now we are able to monitor the nest with a live camera, much like many other UK cathedrals, and this will enable the cathedral to report back on the progress of the birds over the years for everybody to enjoy.”

The public are now being asked to suggest names for the four new arrivals

Worcester residents are also being asked to help name the chicks.

Suggestions can be sent to info@worcestercathedral.org.uk or the cathedral’s social channels.