Empty nest: Annie and Lou’s young falcons have flown away

Able to fly and hunt, UC Berkeley's Zephyr, Luna and Rosa now will seek territories of their own.

July 12, 2023

Luna, one of the peregrine falcons that hatched on the Campanile in 2023, flies through the skies above campus clutching prey.

Adept at catching prey for her meals, Luna flies through campus weeks before departing from her Campanile home. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Like parents with teens who will leave home for college next month, UC Berkeley peregrine falcons Annie and Lou recently watched their offspring fly off into the big world to create their own destinies. They’d taught them life skills, like flying and hunting, practicing with them in the skies above campus and swooping in to help if they got stranded or tired.

All three young falcons — Zephyr, Luna and Rosa — spread their wings to fly off the Campanile for the first time on May 26. After many more test flights and landings, Zephyr left campus for good in late June, with his sisters following a week or so later.

First-time dad Lou is getting high marks from Cal Falcons for his paternal skills.

“Lou did phenomenally well. He did everything you hope a male peregrine will,” said Sean Peterson, an environmental biologist with Cal Falcons. “He was a fierce defender of the territory and brought a ton of food for his brood. Fingers crossed this will be his first (brood) of many with Annie!”

Zephyr, the young male falcon of 2023, chases his mother, Annie, through the skies above campus. She is much larger than he is. — Zephyr chases his mother, Annie, above campus, playing and practicing his flying skills at the same time. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Male peregrine falcon Lou practices dropping prey to be caught in midair by Rosa, one of his 2023 offspring. — Lou (left) and Rosa practice exchanging prey in midair. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Rosa, one of the young female falcons of 2023, dives in the air for some prey dropped by her father, Lou. — Rosa dives for prey dropped by her father, Lou. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Two falcon offspring from 2023 fly next to each other above campus. The male is smaller and lighter in color than his sister. — The differences in size and color of Zephyr (left) and his sister, Rosa, are obvious in this photo. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Luna, one of the young falcons of 2023, spreads her wings to reveal lots of spotted feathers. — Luna gives us a look at her gorgeous feathers. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

One of the young falcons of 2023, Zephyr, flies next to his father, Lou, in the skies above campus. Both their bodies are tipped in the same direction, as if they're flying in formation. — Zephyr (left) and his father, Lou, seem to be flying in formation. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Rosa, the largest of the young falcons that hatched on campus in 2023, sits on a branch and looks straight at the camera. — Rosa, who has red tape over one of her leg bands, is the largest of the young falcons that hatched this spring on the bell tower. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Rosa, one of the young falcons of 2023, flies past the observation deck of the Campanile. — Rosa sails past the observation deck of the Campanile. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Annie, the mother falcon, practices exchanging prey with Luna, one of her female offspring of 2023. — Annie (below) and Luna share a meal. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Annie the mother falcon sits alone on a branch on campus, seemingly looking at the camera and cocking her head. — Annie enjoys some solitude as she looks out over the campus from a tree. That's something she's doing more often these days without Zephyr, Rosa and Luna around. (Photo by Bridget Ahern)

Where the siblings will wind up, an event called juvenile dispersal, “is one of the really big black boxes of raptor biology,” said Peterson. “We know very little about what juvenile birds do after they leave their parents’ territory. It is unlikely we’ll ever see one of Annie’s chicks return to the territory — we’ve never had one return previously. They usually try to find their own place.”

The slideshow above, with photos by wildlife photographer Bridget Ahern, provides a parting glimpse of the young raptors in action, getting ready to strike out on their own.