Baby falcon surprise at Speyer Cathedral: Where have the eagle owls gone?

Baby falcon surprise at Speyer Cathedral: Where have the eagle owls gone?

In Speyer, an unexpected offspring is causing excitement: instead of the usual eagle owl chicks, this year there are two small baby falcons on the famous cathedral. The SWR reports that a breeding pair of kestrels have chosen a very special place for their clutch of eggs - a gutter on the cathedral. Actually, it was supposed to be about the eagle owls, which traditionally nest in the towers, but it seems that the breeding behavior of these birds of prey has decreased in the last two years.

Cathedral builder Hedwig Drabik came across the nest with four eggs during her inspection tours, and now the community can observe the little falcons' progress. Two chicks have already hatched and are expected to fledge in July. The eastern towers of the cathedral are currently scaffolded, but this doesn't really matter to the falcons because, according to experts, kestrels are very adaptable and insensitive to construction noise.

Eagle Owls: A rare sight

Catholic.de However, reports that at least three eagle owl chicks hatched in the towers last year. These chicks are now four weeks old and are already well on their feet. They were born in a breeding site previously inhabited by hawks, highlighting the dynamic nature of breeding behavior.

Sven Ofer, who has been observing the breeding activity at the cathedral for 17 years and also works as a volunteer bird ringer for the bird observatory, commented on the breeding season so far: “The chicks are usually in the “infantry phase” and are already moving around the nest. They will fledge in a few weeks.” In addition, other German church towers, such as Cologne Cathedral, also contain species that have settled down to hunt pigeons.

The eagle owl in numbers

The eagle owls are the largest owls in Germany. With a body size of up to 70 cm and an impressive wingspan of 1.80 m, they embody the majestic nature of the local fauna. Despite being called an “unclean bird” in the Luther Bible, they also find a home in the towers of church buildings, where new breeding opportunities always arise.

It remains to be seen how the situation surrounding the eagle owls and falcons at Speyer Cathedral will develop. The cathedral builder's observations and the excitement surrounding the appropriate breeding behavior of the various bird species show that the cathedral is not only a landmark, but also a refuge for biodiversity.