3 peregrine falcon chicks hatch in Cathedral of Learning nest

Apr. 26—Three peregrine falcons hatched Sunday in the nest atop the Cathedral of Learning, according to Pittsburgh's National Aviary.

The first chick hatched around 3 a.m., according to social media posts from the Aviary. The second and third had emerged by about 10:45 a.m. A fourth egg remains.

Morela, a female peregrine falcon, laid the four eggs in March, and she and mate Ecco have been incubating them for the past month. The National Aviary operates a nest cam, so viewers can watch Morela and mate Ecco care for the chicks.

Ecco is a relatively new companion for Morela, who had been nesting with the resident male, Terzo, according to Kate St. John, the Pennsylvania Game Commission's lead volunteer monitor for peregrine falcon in the region.

Ecco ousted Terzo in February, St. John said earlier this month, and Terzo hasn't been seen since. She said based on the birds' plumage, Morela is likely about three years old and Ecco is about 2 years old.

The process for the chick to emerge from the egg is a tricky one, according to a release from the aviary. The chick must rotate and get into the correct position, break the membrane on the air sac that is inside the egg, use its egg tooth to crack the egg and then finally get out.

The process can take up to 72 hours.

Peregrine falcons have been nesting at the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning for two decades. They are classified by the state as a threatened species.

There are other peregrine falcon pairs nesting around the region, including in Downtown Pittsburgh, the Ambridge-Aliquippa Bridge in Beaver County, the Speers railroad bridge in Washington County and on the Westinghouse Bridge in East Pittsburgh.

Megan Guza is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Megan at 412-380-8519, mguza@triblive.com or via Twitter .