WATCH: Baby falcons hatching atop Montreal tower
It's a joyous day for Eve, resident peregrine falcon at the Université de Montreal: her babies are hatching.
The event is being live-streamed Sunday from a nest box atop the 23rd floor of a tower on campus.
The first egg hatched around 7:40 a.m., while the second opened up around 12:50. There were still two eggs to go as of the early afternoon.
You can watch the other babies hatch in real-time here:
The nest box was installed in 2008 on the southeast side of the tower, facing the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges cemetery.
It initially played home to falcons Spirit and Roger, who successfully raised their young for the first time in 2009.
The pair that now occupy the nest are Eve and a male known as "M."
The tower makes for an ideal nesting spot for the birds, which like to make their homes on cliff faces.
Ornithologist David Bird says it's what makes cities so attractive to falcons.
"To them, the skyscrapers in the city of Montreal, and virtually every other large city in North America ... represent cliffs to these birds. They’re not buildings, they’re cliffs," he said.
Once the chicks hatch, they'll spend their time eating, growing, and eventually learning to hunt.
Life as a peregrine is unlike most other birds. First off, they are the fastest animal in the world, reaching speeds of over 300 km/h while diving through the air.
They hunt using what Bird called "the old fighter plane strategy, where they come out of the sun."
"They usually hit the prey in the head area with the hind talon."
Despite that spectacular speed, the chicks won't have an easy go at life outside the nest.
The name itself -- "peregrine" -- means wanderer. Once the chicks have enough strength and down feathers, they'll leave mom and pop behind.
They'll have find a place of their own, which can be challenging in a city like Montreal, which you could say is in a housing crunch for falcon digs.
"They’ve got to find themselves a territory, and the territories in these cities are limited," said Bird. "These birds do not like to live next to each other, and they’ll actually kill each other to get a territory."
What's more likely is that they'll wind up outside of the city, or even in another urban centre in North America.
Bird cited a study he and a team had done in the late 1970s, where they released about 50 falcons in downtown Montreal.
"None of them stayed in the city," he said. "One of them went to nest in Detroit, and another one went to nest in Winnipeg."
With files from CTV's Cindy Sherwin.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Five areas Canada's foreign interference commissioner says needs more investigation
Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue released her interim report examining foreign election interference on Friday. Here are five elements of the issue that Hogue says she needs to further probe before she can make conclusions or recommendations.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
New weight-loss drug Wegovy not a 'magic bullet,' doctor warns
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Manitoba man sentenced to house arrest for keeping fishing tournament funds meant for Children's Hospital Foundation
A Manitoba man who pleaded guilty to keeping the funds raised from an ice-fishing fundraiser for the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba has been handed a sentence of 18 months house arrest.
Funeral today for broadcasting legend and voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada' Bob Cole
A funeral is being held today for hockey broadcasting legend Bob Cole in his hometown of St. John's, N.L.