Peregrine Falcon Parents Dive Bomb Researchers Handling Chicks at This California City Hall
California's Silicon Valley is home to some of the world's leading tech companies, but it's also home to a very special family of birds. San Jose Peregrine Falcons Hartley and Monty made a home on top of City Hall this spring, just as many birds before them have done. This year, however, Mom and Dad have been especially protective whenever researchers approach their chicks, leading to some dramatic-and entertaining-interactions.
Bay Area news outlet ABC7 shared the California bird news on May 13, which then went viral online. Viewers can't get enough of the mama and papa birds' relentless dive bombing on the researchers, and the falcon chick's shocked reaction is just the cherry on top!
Take a look for yourself to learn more about these special birds of prey.
@abc7newsbayarea A pair of Peregrine Falcons dive-bombed researchers at San Jose City Hall as they worked to tag their chicks as part of a decades-long monitoring program. They say the peregrines are experiencing a population collapse due to the Avian Flu, which they get from their prey. In 2020, researchers reported 47 peregrine nests in the Bay Area; now, only 11 remain, with healthy adult falcons breeding. #animal#falcon#sanjose#bird#abc7news
original sound - ABC7 News - ABC7 News
What a dramatic falcon family! The researchers were well-equipped to face the dive-bombing birds, but not even these pros could resist ducking whenever Mom or Dad swooped down. And, truthfully, who could blame them?
Peregrine Falcons are the fastest animal on (or perhaps above) Earth, reaching speeds over 200 mph while diving for prey. Every inch of protective gear is essential when interacting with these fierce birds, but luckily for the researchers, the young chicks still have a lot of growing left to do. That's precisely why entering the nest at this stage of their life is so important!
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"Each spring, PBRG biologists enter the nest to check chick health and place leg bands on the chicks to help monitor them through their lifetime," the City of San Jose explains. "These leg bands also help to differentiate the young peregrines from one another as they grow up on camera and eventually take their first flights from the nest ledge. There are over 30 active nests in the San Francisco Bay Area that are part of the PBRG peregrine monitoring program."
These dryer lint-esque baby falcons and their parents, Monty and Hartley, may have captured the hearts of thousands, but they're not the first San Jose City Hall falcons to make a home on the 18-story roof.
San Jose City Hall Falcons
Peregrine Falcons on the roof of San Jose City Hall have been tracked and studied by researchers since 2006. For many years, the nest was run by matriarch Clara and her various mates, until Clara became the resident mother falcon from 2019 to 2022. Sadly, the mates who lived at this nest in 2023 succumbed to avian flu, and they're not the only birds affected.
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Avian flu has led to significant population loss for Peregrine Falcons, which is why researchers at UC Santa Cruz are so invested in each and every nest. This year, Hartley and Monty have welcomed four little boys, and the entire family has been healthy and thriving so far.
Fans can watch the San Jose Peregrine Falcons at all hours thanks to a 24/7 YouTube stream, which means no one will miss a moment of these special baby birds growing up.
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This story was originally published May 16, 2026 at 6:40 AM.