University of Texas FalconCam

March 5, 2018 • 3:31 pm

“Tower Girl” the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is out right now, but the University of Texas has a wonderful camera monitoring her 24 hours a day. She’s mated, and if you look in you may see eggs and, eventually, chicks.

Click on the screenshot to go there:

The University’s news site has more information on Tower Girl:

Birders estimate that Tower Girl has lived on the UT Tower for about eight years. The camera comes at a particularly exciting time because she was observed displaying mating behaviors with a male peregrine for the first time in January. The new camera provides an opportunity for scientists to gain important information about her behavior, mating habits, diet and nesting success remotely without disturbing the bird or driving her off from the location.

If Tower Girl lays eggs, viewers will be able to observe the eggs, including when and whether they hatch. Austin is considered the edge of the peregrine breeding range, so any hatching eggs atop the UT Tower would expand the known breeding range of the species.

Isn’t she lovely?

 

Photo: University of Texas Biodiversity Center

28 thoughts on “University of Texas FalconCam”

  1. I’ve never thought the color grey was beautiful before, but that color is beautiful.

      1. I’ve been in Austin just once. Spring break, 1981, Flo was visiting faculty there, we were a new item, students were all on Padres Island, and I had a week of walking the campus. Great Olympic pool under the stadium, university library in the footprint of the state, about 20 confederate traitor statues. And the tower, illuminated at night in Texas red/blood red. Any civilized place would consider knowcking it down. Bot, if keeping it up, NOT lighting it in red.

  10. The University of Pittsburgh has long had Peregrines and a camera at the Cathedral of Learning. But now curious on how many universities have falcon webcams, I searched university falcon web cam and came up with:
    Pitt, UT, U Mass Amherst, Buffalo, Nottingham Trent, Bowling Green, Ferris State and Minnesota Duluth.

  14. I am currently watching a Bald Eagle Nest which contains one egg at least. One of the Parent Birds has been sitting all morning covered in Snow, but at the moment there is no Bird sitting, it left about 10 mins ago, is it feasible to leave an Egg uncovered for so long in Snow conditions? Or can the Eagle tell if an Egg is sterile? I’m getting a little worried. One has returned just as I was about to post, the Chicks should hatch about mid March. Now both Parents are in attendance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2q89jtvEq8

  15. The fastest animal on the planet!

    This reminds me of the flying dream I had when I was little. So impressed by the dream that I actually remember it.

    1. She’s still there – 15:45 PCC(E)-time

      This is great! It’s not like a zoo/captivity can, it’s closer to The Wild

      It took a while but at last, on Safari and a iPad i can see true live motion. I was worried at first, it only showed screenshots..

    2. 14:51 Tower Girl (TG) time : not there.

      Looks like the camera shifted towards the … the … right.

  21. Spotted at 11:00 TG time

    …. is anyone checking this when I do this?

    If not, I’m quitting updating the site every time.

    I’ll still check the camera.

  22. How long is the delay between mating and laying ? It’s been more than 20 days, but I couldn’t find info about it =)

    1. Not sure, but just checked now in randomly and there she is! She looks to be on a nest? Very cool!

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