Pitt peregrine chick heads back to the shade while her sibling watches, 13 May 2026, 11:48am (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)

14 May 2026

Yesterday the peregrine chicks at the Cathedral of Learning added motoring to their daily eat and sleep routine. Last week they began moving around at the back of the box but yesterday all four traveled the entire nestbox surface.

Carla watched them from the safety of the green perch.

Carla watches a chick walk to the green perch, 13 May 2026, 2:01pm (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)

Two chicks “motor” as Carla watches, 13 May 2026, 2:40pm (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)

By the end of the day they were actively pursuing their parents for food. At dusk Ecco brought in a large prey item, probably a pigeon. At first the chicks stood patiently while he fed them.

Ecco feeds four chicks, 13 May 2026, 8:19pm (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)

But after the first chick was fully fed (she’s standing in back) the other three broke ranks and crowded Ecco.

The chicks crowd Ecco during a feeding, 13 May 2026, 8:21pm (photo from the National Aviary snapshot camera at Univ of Pittsburgh)

During this 5-minute segment from their 20-minute feeding, they snatched food from each other’s mouths and Ecco ran out of food. He stepped away and less than a minute later Carla arrived with more.

Motoring and growing require a lot of energy. It takes two parents to feed four hungry chicks.