Delight as world's fastest animal born atop block of flats in city

The first of four eagerly-watched peregrine falcon eggs has hatched. The egg is located in a nest box 334 feet up on the roof of Sussex Heights, a residential tower block in Preston Road, Brighton. It hatched on April 23.

Peregrine falcons have raised young at the nest box, which was installed in March 1998, every year since 1998, except in 2002 when they bred on West Pier. Live webcam viewing inside the nest box has been operated for many years and it has proven extremely popular amongst Brighton residents as well as those further afield. The first pair of falcons here were believed to have been the first pair to breed in an urban environment in the south of England for three years running.



Peregrine falcons were extinct in Sussex between 1945 and 1990. Peregrine falcons remain loyal to their nest site, which means that Sussex Heights is now an established breeding ground. They are the fastest animal on Earth, with diving speeds believed to be around 200mph.

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