Hamilton Community Peregrine Project Celebrates "FOUR CHICKS IN HALF A DAY!"
On May 3, 2025. The Hamilton Falcon Watch saw four Peregrine Falcon chicks hatch over a 13 hour period.
HAMILTON, ON — Four Peregrine Falcon chicks have hatched in a downtown Hamilton nest, marking the beginning of a new season for the city’s falcon residents. Through their online updates, the Hamilton Community Peregrine Project confirmed the hatchings early Saturday morning, May 3, 2025.
A volunteer watching the nest via webcam spotted the first chick around 3:00 am. Hours later, at 9:38 am, a second chick was spotted when McKeever, their mother, left the nest. By mid-morning, both had received their first feeding, courtesy of their father, Judson.
Shortly before 2:00 pm the third chick had hatched, with the fourth following around 3:30 pm.
“With four chicks cracking out of eggs, the team of mostly volunteers and one staff will be kept on their toes in the coming weeks.” said Jackson Hudecki, Vice President of Hamilton Naturalists' Club, going on to say “Thanks to the efforts of volunteers like Pat Baker, Charles Gregory, Leah Schwenger and others, and Coordinator Matt Mills, the freshly hatched chicks will be under close watch as they begin their journey out of the nest scrape.”
An update posted to the Hamilton Community Peregrine Project Website says this is likely a new record.
“In what falcon watchers are quite sure is a new record, McKeever managed to time her brooding so perfectly that her four eggs, which were laid over a period of a week, all hatched within just 13 hours of each other.”
The nesting pair, McKeever and Judson, are in their fourth consecutive breeding season atop the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Hamilton. Peregrine Falcons typically mate for life, and this pair has already successfully fledged multiple chicks since first pairing in 2022.
Judson, originally from Buffalo, New York, has Hamilton roots; one of his parents, Felker, fledged from the same downtown site in 2012. McKeever was born on the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, and was first spotted at the Sheraton ledge in early 2022.
Jackson Hudecki pointed out that Peregrine Falcons were once on the brink of extinction because of the widespread use of DDT, a pesticide that is now banned in Canada.
“Peregrine Falcons, like many other raptors, represent a sign of resilience after facing near extinction levels in the mid to late 90's thanks to the heavy use of DDT, While they currently don't face the same type of pressures, they remind us of a time when humans recognized the error of their ways and made positive changes for the sake of the greater good.”
The Hamilton Community Peregrine Project, now in its 31st year, monitors the city’s nesting falcons and helps protect fledglings during their first flights. Each June, volunteers from the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club take shifts monitoring the young birds as they attempt to leave the nest. Many fledglings face difficulties navigating urban environments and sometimes require rescue.
“The HNC is grateful for the teams of people that assist with this project every year, the much needed donations, the Sheraton Hotel, and many other partners who help ensure the chicks get through their crucial first weeks of fledging.” said Jackson Hudecki
Those interested in volunteering can find more information at: http://falcon.hamiltonnature.org/hcppvolunteer.htm
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