Peregrine Falcon Cams from a Church in Bruges

Peregrine falcons prefer to nest in high places and as you can see from the view on this webcam, these Belgian peregrines conform to the norm. They have chosen a site to call home, albeit a rock, bread and bone-strewn one, on a church overlooking the city of Bruges in the region of Belgium known as West Flanders. Whether these falcons know they’re occupying a prestigious site provided by MERGUS for their personal enjoyment is debatable, but they’d probably be grateful if they did.

MERGUS, Natuurpunt Brugs Ommeland & Middenkust, is a non-profit organisation run by enthusiastic ornithologists who monitor avifauna activity in Bruges and the surrounding area. It’s a project that keeps these bird lovers pretty busy as this is an area of Belgium teeming with not just peregrines but a multitude of other feathered species.

Whether the falcons that are using this lofty abode on the Church of Our Lady have laid eggs this season is unsure. It doesn’t appear so. They could well be saving that matrimonial experience for the future. Meanwhile, enjoy seeing them take off at high speed, they’re not known as the fastest bird on earth for nothing, when they spot a pigeon with a death wish flying by. Be prepared for seeing the resident birds return to this lofty site clutching their prey. Those bones didn’t get there by chance, but where the bread came from is anyone’s guess. It’s highly unlikely these peregrines will be turning vegetarian any time soon. Evolution, even in the bird world, just doesn’t work that fast.