A new pair of peregrine falcons are expected to settle into the nest on the Cathedral this month. Pitt facility management and the National Aviary have cleaned up the nesting area and prepared the camera to track the once-endangered species’ growth.

The peregrine falcon chicks, now called fledges, that recently hatched on the Cathedral of Learning have taken their first flights as of June 3. The fledges, who hatched on April 22, had been preparing for their first flights over the past few days by hopping along the ledges of the Cathedral.

When Kate St. John first noticed a pair of peregrine falcons arrive at Pitt in 2001, she immediately emailed the PA Game Commission (PGC) out of excitement. A rare sight to see, St. John set out to get a nest box installed at the Cathedral of Learning.