Four falcon chicks hatch in Glasgow university tower

Four peregrine falcon chicks have hatched in a tower at the University of Glasgow.

Conservation group the Glasgow Peregrine Project noted the new arrivals last week at the Gilbert Scott Tower.

The group's bird recorder John Simpson told BBC Scotland News that the hatching was "fantastic".

The birds of prey have nested at the university for around two decades and in 2023, a CCTV camera was installed in a bird nesting box there to enable greater observation of the birds.

Mr Simpson said: "The male is bringing them plenty of food since they hatched. He seems a very modern man, as he is splitting incubation duties with the female as well as killing pigeons.

"This particular pair dominate the city, and we might see more peregrines doing this as things change, and peregrines urbanise more and more.

"The first egg had a large spot on it, so it was easy to know which one it was, although it was the last one to hatch."

The Glasgow Peregrine Project is led by the Scottish Ornithologists’ Club, the University of Glasgow and the RSPB, with support from a number of other groups.

Mr Simpson feels the collaboration has proved helpful in helping to learn more about the falcons and their behaviour.

Members of the project hope to abseil down the tower later this year to lift the chicks out and fit them with electronic tags that will enable monitoring of their movements.

Mr Simpson added: "With the identification tags we can see where they have gone, how high they fly and other information that would be really useful."

In recent years the group have held peregrine watches at the university, allowing people to see the birds in their nest.