Four peregrine falcon chicks hatch at Temelín nuclear plant

Four chicks of the critically endangered peregrine falcon have hatched at the Temelín nuclear power plant in Czechia. The falcons nested in a box placed high on a 100-meter ventilation stack—the second-tallest structure on-site—marking the fourth year in a row the pair has raised young there.

All four chicks are female, the maximum number typically seen in a clutch. According to ornithologist Václav Beran, who banded them, they are healthy and around 15–20 days old.

Each bird received two ID bands: one confirming Czech origin and one for tracking with binoculars. The young falcons will stay in the nest for about two months, needing roughly 45 days to learn to fly before leaving. Czech power giant ČEZ has worked with ornithologists to support falcon conservation at Temelín since 2011.