Leicester peregrine falcon that lived at Leicester Cathedral dies amid bird flu outbreak – Leicestershire Live

A peregrine falcon that had found its home in Leicester has died amid bird flu fears. The bird of prey was one of several that had settled at Leicester Cathedral in 2017.

A webcam previously set up as part of a local conservation project follows the lives of the Leicester peregrines with viewers regularly updated on the latest news through an accompanying blog. But in an update on Monday, August 15, Leicester Peregrines announced the female adult had died after looking unwell for several days.

The falcon's death follows Leicester City Council's announcement of the closure of Abbey Park's animal enclosure after the Avian Influenza virus was detected in the city. The Leicester Peregrines Project said in a statement that bird flue was the "probable" cause.

READ MORE: Pets Corner forced to shut to limit bird flu spread after virus detected in two of the city's parks

The statement, shared by Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society, which runs the project alongside the city council and the cathedral, said: "Regular viewers of the Leicester Peregrines webcam and blog may have noticed a lack of updates in recent days. We had become concerned about the health of the adult female who was spending more time in the box and didn't appear to be feeding particularly well, despite the opportunities.

"She was becoming lethargic and very sleepy. Whilst initially this was considered to be due to the extreme temperatures we have been having, her posture was beginning to look strange and unnatural.

"Unfortunately, she fell from the platform in the early hours of August 15. Her body has been found and will be collected by Defra to determine the cause.

"We are aware that there is an outbreak of Avian Influenza in the city, and it is very probable that this will be identified as the cause. This is yet another dramatic twist in the history of the Leicester Peregrines, but it is only through the monitoring of sites like ours that show how precarious the life of a Peregrine is.

"Our fingers are crossed that both the male and juvenile TJC will remain healthy."

Four new eggs were hatched at the Leicester Cathedral earlier this year, much to the delight of regular webcam viewers.

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Leicester peregrine falcon that lived at Leicester Cathedral dies amid bird flu outbreak - Leicestershire Live