It’s not your usual kind of baby joy but for peregrine falcon parents Swift and Beau, the birth of baby Snow on Monday was perfect.

While it’s too early to know if the baby is a boy or girl, Falcon cam project coordinator Scott Banks can confirm the chick was born at 3.30am on Monday.

Unbeknown to the peregrine falcon parents they have been spied on with a 24-hour camera at their home in Charles Sturt University in Orange.

Mr Banks said it had been a privilege witnessing the birth of nine peregrine falcons over the last five years.

When staff noticed the falcons at the campus in 2005 a breeding box was put on top of a university tower and it attracted the birds straight away.

“Within two hours of the box being put there there were two birds checking it out,” he said.

For young Snow the next 40 days will be busy, learning from its parents before learning to take flight.

Eventually Snow will leave its parents in late summer.

Mr Banks said the peregrine falcon was an efficient hunter.

“They hunt on the wind and hit it [the prey] with a half closed claw,” he said.

Mr Banks said the birds were one of 17 peregrine falcon sub species, this one is the macropus, and once grown will leave the university to find territory away from its parents.

While it has been enjoyable to watch the falcons breed Mr Banks said it was important to note this was not a breeding program.

“All we’ve done is provide them a safe roost, predator free and not that they knew it, but we’ve put cameras on them,” he said.

“It’s not a breeding program, we’re merely observing.”

nadine.morton@ruralpress.com