Ringing at BT office: Keeping track of London’s peregrines

HIGH-RISE HOME: The peregrine chicks in their nest Picture: Lyndon Parker

June 2010: Four peregrine falcon chicks have been ringed to find out where they go once they leave their city-centre nest in London.

It is the first time chicks have been ringed in the capital, but the RSPB is keen to find out more about the birds' movements and what adaptations they may have made for living in the city.

The fastest creature on the planet, the peregrine falcon is increasingly opting for more urban homes, although they are traditionally associated with wild crags or lonely sea cliffs. It is thought rapid changes to these environments could be the reason for the more unlikely nesting choices.

To a peregrine, a tall building offers the same benefits as a cliff face - it is high, away from danger and the surrounding areas offer a good source of food. And the RSPB wants to know exactly where they go once they leave the nest, to establish other possible nest sites and their range within the city.

The four chicks have been fitted with bright orange identification rings which carry a unique London coding. The rings are loose on the bird's legs and coded to identify where and when they hatched. The birds are the offspring of a pair that roost on the Palace of Westminster but nest on a nearby BT office block at Vauxhall. They hatched at Easter and are now developing feathers. They are due to leave the nest soon. 

CITY CHICK: One of the peregrine falcons with the bright orange ring clearly visible Picture: Lyndon Parker

Licensed ringer Phil Belman performed the operation, which took less than an hour. He said: ‘The secure location of the nest in a specifically installed nest box made it an easy job. We'll now be a able to find out where they go once the parents evict them from the nest in about a month's time. We know so little about the movement of peregrines, so this is a huge leap forward.'

London peregrine's population is increasing with more than 20 pairs now choosing to live in the capital. They all nest on ledges on tall buildings, resembling their traditional cliff faced nest sites.
The RSPB will show thousands of London residents and visitors a pair of peregrines roosting on the Tate Modern Gallery's iconic chimney from July, which have also successfully hatched chicks this year.

At the event, Date with Nature, people will be able to see the birds close up using nestcams, binoculars and telescopes.

RSPB spokesperson Tim Webb said: "We are looking forward to watching the falcons to see if they have to adapt to life in the city. Identifying them with rings is the logical next step to track them, keep them safe and study their behaviour."

The chicks can be seen live on-line here, but with four chicks and two adult birds using the nest, it can sometimes get very messy.

For more information on the RSPB's peregrine date with nature in London, and several other cities, as well as dates involving all sorts of other wildlife, visit Tate Modern Gallery