FalconCam Project ~ Gimbir Brings Prey & Girri Snatches It! Girri Almost SLIPS OFF Ledge 2025 Dec 14

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Gimbir with prey - Girri snatches
01:15 Girri self feeds
03:48 Girri almost slips off ledge!
04:20 Diamond with large prey - Girri claims
06:10 Diamond returns to box
06:48 Diamond takes prey & feeds Girri
10:20 Diamond leaves with carcass
10:45 Girri vigorous wingercising
12:34 Gimbir returns & Girri chases him out

Gimbir arrives early with prey & Girri quickly snatches it, mantling & screaming! Gimbir grabs a bite of nestovers before he leaves and Girri self feeds! When finished, she goes to the ledge and almost slips off! Thankfully Girri caught herself!!

Diamond arrives a few minutes later and she has large prey! Girri claims it and takes it. Girri is not as vocal nor does she mantle like she does with Gimbir - sensing Mum is not going to steal her food but Gimbir may! Diamond leaves & returns and then takes the prey & feeds Girri. Girri has a full crop and lets Diamond eat the rest. After Diamond departs with the carcass, Girri does some vigorous wingercising! She does not have much of her downy feathers left!

Gimbir will return to the box and Girri reacts and chases him out! He did try and grab a morsel on the exit & that did it for Girri and she chases him out of the box! Gimbir has had a fast course on parenting this season so next year he will be more prepared! Thank you for watching!

Video captured & edited by Lady Hawk

Courtesy of FalconCam Project Charles Sturt University, Orange, Australia. Many thanks to Cilla Kinross, principal researcher at CSU.    / falconcamproject:  

Box Cam link: https://www.youtube.com/live/yv2RtoIMNzA
Ledge Cam link:    • Ledge Camera -FalconCam Project LIVE  
Tower Cam Link:    • Tower Cam - FalconCam Project LIVE  

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📌 Diamond lays egg #1 09:02:16am Sept 29 2025 -hatched Nov 5th
📌 Diamond lays egg #2 20:38:06pm Oct 1st 2025
📌 Diamond lays egg #3 07:33:45am Oct 4th 2025
📌 1st egg hatches 13:01pm Nov 5th - Named Girri
📌 Two eggs non viable no hatch


GENERAL INFORMATION:
This site is about a family of peregrine falcons using a nest box since 2008 in a water tower at Charles Sturt University, Orange, Australia. This is a research project through Charles Sturt University, Orange, New South Wales Australia, studying the diet and use of a nest box of a family of peregrines living in water tower since 2007. We now have nine years' worth of diet and seven years of behaviour data The cams go right through the year and are in daily use.

HISTORY:
The birds have been observed using the tower (a working water tower) since 2007, breeding in the box since 2008, with an average of 2.8 eggs per clutch and 1.5 fledges per season.

HISTORY

The female is Diamond (aged at least 12) and the new male (aged about one year) is called Gimbir (hard 'g' Gim-bear). The name came about by accident as I thought Gimbir was the Wiradjuri word for 'spring' (the season), but in fact it's 'spring' or 'fountain' (water), but we liked it, so kept it anyway. He's the 'fountain' of youth!

The previous male, Xavier, disappeared on 27/8/25 and is assumed dead. He had been with Diamond since 2016 and is sorely missed.

Previous history includes: Diamond took over from the older Swift in 2015 and Xavier replaced Bula in 2016 (who in turn replaced our first male, Beau, in 2015). Xavier arrived just as the eggs were hatching and saved the season by providing for Diamond and her three chicks. Assuming that they were at least two years old when they arrived, Diamond is at least eleven years old and Xavier nine (in 2024)

The male is 15-20% smaller than the female, has fewer spots on the chest and has brighter yellow-orange talons and beak. The birds do not migrate and courtship rituals and some scrape (nest) building continues throughout the year, intensifying, along with food bringing by the male, in July and August.

Eggs are laid usually in late August, with chicks hatching in early October and fledging in mid-November. The youngsters often stay around as late as March being taught to hunt by their parents, and often visiting the nest in the tower, so there is much to watch even out of the main breeding season. One male juvenile stayed until August the following year when his parents blocked his entrance to the box and he took the hint.
#falconCam #OrangeCSUfalcons #OrangeAustraliaFalcons #PeregrineFalcons #CSUorangeperegrinefalcons

Courtesy of Falcon Project Orange NSW Australia. Many thanks to Cilla Kinross, principal researcher at CSU.    / falconcamproject: