Since early October I’ve watched the new female peregrine, Morela, fly and perch with her mate at the Cathedral of Learning. Her presence is easy to confirm because she’s often on camera. Not so with her mate.
Last week she tried to entice him to the nest but he was reluctant to join her. I wondered if he was new to the Cathedral of Learning. Yesterday, 30 October 2019, he appeared on camera for the first time.
Just before 4pm Morela jumped into the nest and called to another peregrine. The male stayed off-screen for a minute, then jumped down to bow with her.
The male she’s been courting is Terzo!
Terzo has been the resident male peregrine at Pitt since his arrival in March 2016. I recognized him on camera by the unique heart-shaped white patch on the left side of his face and his black/red color band. No, I couldn’t read his band numbers in the video (Terzo is Black/Red N/29) but I believe he’s the only male peregrine in the world with that face pattern + Black/Red bands.
So now we know that the peregrine couple at the Cathedral of Learning is Morela & Terzo. For the first time in years I’m excited about the upcoming nesting season. Courtship will intensify in January. Egg laying is due in mid to late March.
Stay tuned on the National Aviary’s snapshot camera at the University of Pittsburgh. Streaming video from the National Aviary will resume in early 2020.
(video from the National Aviary falconcam at Univ of Pittsburgh)
So glad the male is Terzo. Like you. I look forward this year to the nesting season.
Woo-hoo!!! Wonderful news, Kate. 🙂
What has happen to Hope? I am glad that Terzo and Morela are a couple and I hope that next season will be wonderful for all Terzo and Morela and for all the viewers.
Geraldine, Hope is gone; we don’t know where.
Fantastic!!!!
I’m delighted that Terzo is still the male here!
Hooray! Terzo is still at the Cathedral. Like others, I’m looking forward to the season with Terzo and Morela. Thanks for the update and video, Kate.
I hope Hope doesn’t come back to Tarentum…..
Me too, Susan!
My cheeks hurt from smiling too much at the good news. Thanks Kate. Just be careful looking up now that the crows have returned to Oakland.
This makes me so happy!!
Something was going on today around 1:20 today. Morela backed another bird (Terzo?) into the corner. Terzo(?) quickly flew out of the scrape.
Kathy,
Could it have been Hope??
Melanie and Kathy, it was Morela. I was at Schenley Plaza at that time and saw her. No, it was not Hope.
I don’t know. The first bird was Morela like Kate said. The second bird was much smaller. The behavior seemed a bit aggressive, so I was thinking Hope might have been the second one that came in and quickly left the scrape.
Kathy, see today’s blog for details on courtship versus aggression https://www.birdsoutsidemywindow.org/2019/11/03/briefly-at-the-nest/
Thank you, Kate!