If you were looking for your daily dose of cute, here it is: the peregrine falcon hatchlings that reside atop 367 Collins Street are expected to make their debut flight this weekend, and you can watch it all unfold via the livestream, which has been running since 2016.
Peregrine falcons have been nesting at this high-rise location since 1991, and this year’s clutch of eggs resulted in four babies – three females and one male. Despite a feathery love triangle that saw the mother falcon forced to spend time away from her eggs while the father falcon shacked up with a male lover (who has since become the chick’s step-dad, booting the biological father out of the nest), the four eggs survived, and have grown into strong, healthy hatchlings.
And because they grow up in the blink of an eye, these little chicks are just about ready to explore the big, wide world and launch off their perch. Their first-ever flight is expected to come any moment now, and it’s an opportunity for them to practise their flying and fine-tune their hunting skills.
"The adults have reduced the amount of feeds down to about two a day, and we think that's a deliberate strategy to encourage the young ones to fly," says Dr Hurley, founder of the Peregrine Project. "Their body is getting lighter, so it will be easier for them to fly in the next few days as they lose a bit of weight."
To catch the falcon hatchlings take flight, head to the livestream. And even if you miss them take their first tentative flaps, there will be plenty of opportunities in the coming weeks to see them practise as they become more confident in their flying abilities.