Peregrine falcon enthusiasts in the Bay Area now have double the excitement with a brand-new live camera capturing 24/7 footage of another set of baby falcons. This new addition comes courtesy of Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, where Larry (affectionately named for mama falcon Lawrencium) welcomed four adorable chicks in a protected cave a few weeks back.
Since 2023, National Park Service biologists have kept a close eye on Larry’s nesting using a small camera. Thanks to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy’s efforts, the camera now offers high-definition, full-color views of the falcon family online. You can catch all the action at www.parksconservancy.org/FalconCam, day or night, thanks to the fixed-angle webcam and its 12-hour livestream cache.
This new camera joins the UC Berkeley falcon cam, situated high atop the Campanile on campus. Last month, viewers were thrilled to witness four peregrine falcon chicks hatch on the Cal Falcons webcam.
Interestingly, there’s a connection between the Cal and Alcatraz falcon families. Larry, the falcon queen of Alcatraz, is actually a Cal graduate of sorts, being born to Annie, the UC Berkeley matriarch falcon, in the Campanile nest.
The arrival of the Alcatraz falcon chicks is just the latest success story in the peregrine falcon’s remarkable resurgence. Once on the brink of extinction due to pesticide use, these birds have made a remarkable comeback since the ban of DDT in 1972. Larry, identified by her leg band, is proof of this success, having been born to Annie and Grinnell at Cal in 2018 before making her mark on Alcatraz.
Livestream viewers often get to witness the chicks being fed by their parents, showcasing the fascinating behavior of these magnificent creatures. While the footage may sometimes show challenges like sick or injured birds, the National Park Service refrains from intervening, allowing these wild animals to thrive in their natural habitat.
