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Get a close-up view, below, of the falcon nest atop the AGC of Washington building on South Lake Union in Seattle.
March 16, 2023
These are Peregrine falcons, which began nesting again in Seattle in 1994, slowly returning from near extinction due to the effects of DDT. The first-known Seattle nest was at 1201 Third Avenue (formerly the WAMU building).
Peregrines have nested in the city since then (4-6 nests a year), but it wasn’t until 28 years later that a pair showed interest in nesting on a second Seattle building: the AGC of Washington building in the South Lake Union area.
In 2022, AGC, in partnership with Urban Raptor Conservancy, hosted a nest box behind a balcony on the building’s tenth floor, and the Peregrines did the rest. Tenth-floor tenants GMMB were marvelous stewards of the nest box outside their window, providing the Peregrines with privacy during nesting. In return, GMMB had the unique opportunity to witness the entire Peregrine breeding season — from egg-laying to fledging.
Peregrines like to nest over water, and urban youngsters often drown before they can fly. In the summer of 2022, Urban Raptor Conservancy’s “Peregrine Navy” kept a kayak vigil for over two weeks to watch for fledglings in the water at busy South Lake Union. In July, three strong youngsters were the first Peregrines to fledge from the AGC building.
As of March 2023, it is a new nesting season. In the coming weeks, the female should lay up to four eggs. Eggs will hatch five weeks later. About six weeks after hatching, the young will fly. Watch for them!
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For many years, the Urban Raptor Conservancy has monitored Peregrine falcons and Cooper’s hawks in the Seattle area.
Please email any Peregrine sightings here.