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Melbourne's 'Nest-flix' captivates audiences as peregrine falcon chicks prepare for first flight
Since late August, tens of thousands of Australians have been glued to Nest-flix, a 24-hour live-streamed reality show starring peregrine falcons nesting atop a Melbourne skyscraper. The high-stakes drama-featuring aerial battles, territorial takeovers, and even an earthquake-has drawn comparisons to Game of Thrones, with viewers now eagerly awaiting the moment this year's chicks attempt their first flight.
The stars of the show
Perched 34 stories above Collins Street, the falcon family has become an unlikely internet sensation. The three chicks, hatched in late September, have spent recent days flapping their wings and sprinting along the ledge in preparation for fledging. Their mother, meanwhile, has been staging dramatic flybys with prey in her talons-a deliberate tactic to coax them into the air.
"She's teasing the chicks, going, 'You wanna eat? Well, you gotta fly,'" explains Dr. Victor Hurley, founder of the Victorian Peregrine Project, a volunteer group monitoring the species since 1991. The tactic isn't just psychological: reduced feedings help the chicks shed weight, improving their wing-to-body ratio for lift-off.
From gutter nest to global fame
The nest's origins trace back to 1991, when Hurley discovered the falcons struggling to breed in a metal rain gutter-a poor choice for Melbourne's chilly winters. After persuading building managers to install a nest box, the first successful hatchings occurred in 1992. By 1993, a CCTV camera was added, and Hurley began screening footage in the building's foyer. The real breakthrough came in 2017 with a YouTube livestream, dubbing the channel Nest-flix and sparking a fanbase now exceeding 50,000 on Facebook.
"During Covid, the group exploded," says Kylie Humrick, a moderator since 2017. "It gave people a sense of connection to nature-especially seeing wildlife thrive in an urban setting." A standout moment? The 2021 livestream capturing a falcon startled mid-nest by an earthquake.
Territorial wars and survival stakes
The Collins Street ledge is prime real estate for peregrines, offering year-round pigeon and sparrow deliveries. But the birds' fierce territoriality-nests are spaced at least 1.6 km apart-has fueled violent clashes. In 2022, a "wimpy" male was ousted mid-incubation after a prolonged battle, likely killed by his successor. "He was rubbish at incubation," Hurley admits, "but at least he didn't eat the chicks," a known risk among step-parent falcons.
Other dramas include a 2023 female suffering apparent brain damage after a fight, abandoning her eggs, and a seven-hour battle so loud it prompted building managers to call Hurley. "These birds kill for a living," he notes. "Territorial disputes aren't pretty-but they're natural."
"People started calling him 'the dad that stepped up'-even if he wasn't the best at it."
Kylie Humrick, Victorian Peregrine Project moderator
Conservation success amid urban challenges
Once nearly extinct in Australia due to pesticides like DDT, peregrine falcons have rebounded since the 1980s chemical bans. Now, they thrive in cities where skyscrapers mimic their preferred cliff habitats. Yet hazards remain: last year, a chick was rescued after crashing into a glass balcony; others face 60% first-year mortality rates from predation, starvation, or botched landings.
"It's a tough gig," Hurley says. "If every lion cub survived, you'd run out of zebras. Same here-nature balances itself."
Fledging countdown begins
The male chick may take flight as early as this Saturday, with his heavier sisters following within a week. Fans are bracing for the milestone: "Be still my freaked-out heart," one Facebook user wrote as a chick teetered near the ledge edge. Humrick notes viewership spikes before fledging. "We don't know what happens after they leave-but it's special to see them reach this point."
For now, the Nest-flix livestream remains the best seat in Melbourne to witness the drama unfold.
