Salisbury Cathedral’s first three peregrine falcon chicks of the year have hatched, leaving only one egg left.

The first chick of 2024 hatched on the afternoon of Sunday, April 28, with the second following on the morning of Monday, April 29 and the third on the morning of Tuesday, April 30.

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The little chicks will have been hard at work for around 72 hours before breaking out of their shells, using a hard pointed area on their beaks called the ‘egg tooth’.

When a chick is ready to hatch, a special neck muscle contracts, causing its head to snap upwards and bringing the egg tooth into contact with the shell, causing it to crack. Bit by bit, the chick chips at the shell, making sounds to let the parent know it is on its way.

The fourth and last chick is expected to hatch within the next few days.