Two peregrine falcon chicks, the new inhabitants of the Sagrada Familia

BarcelonaThe last few months have been hectic at the Sagrada Familia. On February 20, Gaudí's temple reached its peak with the placement of the upper arm of the cross of the tower of Jesus. A cross that was visible weeks later, when the coverings were removed and which was fully completed less than a month ago, with the installation of the gauge that decorates the structure with six red lights to make it visible for air traffic. But while everyone was watching the movement of cranes and scaffolding, in one of the basilica's towers there were other novelties: the pair of peregrine falcons, which for two decades have been the only inhabitants of the Sagrada Familia, saw two chicks being born.

The two chicks were born in recent days in the nest located in the temple's towers and a third is expected to be born in the coming days. In fact, for some time now, the day-to-day life of this pair of falcons can be observed from the camera that has been installed in their nest and which can be viewed live via a YouTube link. In the last few hours, one of the parents has been seen feeding the two newborn chicks.

The temple's nest is part of the peregrine falcon reintroduction project that the Barcelona City Council, together with Galanthus Natura, launched in 1999. The basilica was selected as one of the ideal places to reintroduce the species because it was one of the last refuges where these birds bred before disappearing from the city.

About fifty chicks born in the temple

Currently, in the city of Barcelona, eight pairs of falcons have been identified breeding in the Catalan capital. In fact, within the framework of the species reintroduction project in the city, 250 chicks have been born to date, 56 of which have hatched in the towers of the Sagrada Familia.

The peregrine falcon is an emblematic bird of prey species in the city and an indicator of environmental quality. The presence of this species, like that of other birds of prey such as the common kestrel, adds complexity to food webs. Peregrine falcons are large predators that feed on birds, in the case of Barcelona, mainly on pigeons.

In fact, a couple of years ago the Barcelona City Council carried out in a pilot test around Camp Nou using falcons to deter pigeons. A test that, according to the council, proved effective in scaring away pigeons and preventing them from settling in specific areas. So far, Barcelona has not found the antidote to reduce the pigeon population in the city. The figure has been stable for years around 103,000 specimens. This places Barcelona between 1,300 and 1,700 pigeons per km², a density three to four times higher than the threshold considered overpopulation.