After a Heartbreaking 2025 Season, Two UdeM Falcon Chicks Hatch in One Remarkable Morning

Life returned to the University of Montreal peregrine falcon nest today in the smallest, most powerful way: two UdeM Falcon chicks hatched just hours apart after a 2025 season with no hatchlings.

The first chick hatched at about 1:27 a.m. on May 21. Then, just a few hours later, a second chick broke free at about 7:45 a.m. What had been a quiet stretch of pips, shells, and stillness became a remarkable morning at the UdeM Falcon Nest Cam.

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As of yesterday, all three eggs had visible pip holes, meaning each chick had begun the hard work of breaking through the shell. Once those first tiny openings appeared, the nest entered its final hours of waiting. By morning, two eggs had opened, two chicks were resting on the gravel, and the third egg remained nearby with its own small mark of life.

After last season’s failed hatch and this year’s dramatic pair change, these two chicks are more than a routine spring milestone. They are the first living sign that the tower’s long falcon story is moving forward again.

Video: First UdeM Falcon Chick Hatches

The first hatch began with the small opening already made in the shell. From there, the chick slowly worked free, completing the long and exhausting process that turns an egg into a living, breathing falcon chick.

These first hours are delicate. Newly hatched peregrine falcon chicks are tiny, damp, and fragile, relying completely on the adults for warmth and protection. A small crack in an egg becomes a whole new life, tucked into the gravel high above the city.

Video: Second UdeM Falcon Chick Hatches Later That Morning

Watch Live – nest box cam and approach cams

The second hatch came just over six hours after the first, making May 21 a memorable morning at the UdeM Falcon Nest Cam. By about 7:45 a.m., the second chick had joined its sibling, giving Tadi and Ziva two hatchlings from their first clutch together at this historic site.

The new pair did not inherit a quiet ledge. They claimed a nest with a long history, a difficult previous season, and the remains of an old chapter still pressed into the story of the tower. Now two chicks lie where last year’s eggs never opened.

Why This Hatch Matters After the 2025 Season

In 2025, none of the eggs laid by the previous female, Eve, hatched. For a nest that had produced young across many seasons, the silence of that clutch stood apart.

After that nesting year, the site entered another period of upheaval. Territorial disputes unfolded around the nest, and eventually a rare complete turnover of the resident pair took place. The previous era came to an end, and a new pair, Tadi and Ziva, claimed the tower.

That kind of full pair change is especially significant at a long-running nest site. For more than 17 years, the University of Montreal ledge has been a place where peregrine falcons returned, nested, and raised young. A complete turnover shifted the familiar story into uncertain ground. Today, the answer arrived in down and broken shells.

A New Pair Begins Again at a Historic Falcon Nest

The University of Montreal peregrine falcon nest has been active since 2007, serving as an important sanctuary for falcons on the university campus. Set against the backdrop of the iconic main tower of the Roger-Gaudry Pavilion, the nest has become a place where generations of peregrine falcons have passed on life above the city.

The story began with the first pair, Roger and Spirit. Later came the memorable era of Miro, commonly known as M, and Eve, a pair connected with many successful fledglings from this nest. For years, the tower carried that continuing story. Eggs were laid, chicks hatched, young falcons grew strong, and fledglings eventually left the ledge for the open sky. The nest became more than a camera view. It became a living record of survival, change, and family.

Now Tadi and Ziva have stepped into that legacy. Their first two chicks have hatched, and with one egg still remaining, the 2026 season has already become one of the most important in the nest’s recent history.

In Summary: A New Beginning at the UdeM Falcon Nest

By sunrise, the UdeM Falcon Nest Cam had become a scene of life in motion. Two chicks had hatched, pale fragments of shell rested on the gravel, and the adult falcon stood close over the fragile new arrivals. Beside them, the final egg remained in the scrape, still holding the next question of the morning.

After a 2025 season with no hatchlings, today’s double hatch(maybe triple) feels like a turning point. The nest that held unopened eggs last year is alive again. The tower that once belonged to Roger and Spirit, then Miro and Eve, now holds the beginning of Tadi and Ziva’s first family.

There is still one egg left in the scrape, and the story is not finished. But this morning already changed the tone of the season. High above the University of Montreal campus, the long silence of last year has been answered by two tiny voices from the gravel.

This live cam experience is provided by fauconsudem.com. The videos were recorded and shared by bird parenting on youtube.

FAQ About the 2026 UdeM Falcon Hatch

How many UdeM falcon chicks have hatched so far?

Two UdeM falcon chicks have hatched so far.

Is there still one UdeM falcon egg left to hatch?

Yes. One egg remains in the nest. Since all three eggs had pip holes as of yesterday, the third egg may still hatch soon.

Who are the current UdeM peregrine falcon parents?

The current UdeM peregrine falcon pair is Tadi, the male, and Ziva, the female. They claimed the nest after a rare complete turnover of the previous resident pair.

Why is this hatch so meaningful?

The 2025 season ended with none of Eve’s eggs hatching. After that failed clutch and a dramatic change in the resident pair, Tadi and Ziva’s first two chicks have brought new life back to the UdeM nest.

Where is the UdeM Falcon Nest Cam located?

The UdeM Falcon Nest Cam is located at the University of Montreal. It’s set against the main tower of the Roger-Gaudry Pavilion. The site has supported peregrine falcons since 2007.