It’s with a heavy heart that we share some sad news from the Peregrine Falcon nest at Worcester Cathedral. As many of you may already know, a second chick has died. Despite every effort to give it the best possible chance — including carefully returning it to the nest after a fall — the chick was unfortunately pushed off the ledge again by its sibling. This time, it didn’t survive.
While this may be distressing to witness, it is, sadly, not uncommon in the wild. Nature often follows its own harsh rules, and what we’re seeing is a natural behaviour known as siblicide, where stronger chicks may dominate weaker ones. The smaller chick was already showing signs of illness, and it’s not unusual for both chicks and adult birds to sense when something isn’t right — sometimes withholding food or actively pushing an unwell chick away.
This may seem brutal, but it’s part of the instinctual survival mechanisms in raptor species. When resources are limited or a chick appears weak, the stronger sibling typically gets the majority of the care. It’s a stark reminder of how finely balanced life is for these incredible birds.
We’ve now recovered the chick, and it will be sent to a specialist lab for forensic examination, helping us better understand what happened and what we might learn for future broods.
The good news is that one chick remains, and so far, it appears healthy and well-fed. We’re keeping everything crossed that this youngster will continue to thrive. A decision about whether to ring the chick will be made next week, depending on its progress and overall wellbeing.
We want to thank everyone who has sent messages of support — it’s clear how much these birds have come to mean to the Worcester community and beyond. The Cathedral Peregrines continue to inspire, teach, and connect us to the wild in powerful ways — even when the lessons are difficult.
We’ll keep you updated as the days unfold.
Worcester Cathedral Peregrine Team
