Winchester Cathedral falcons: Beloved peregrine livestream star Winnie found dead after 'scuffle'

Feathers have flown for a popular peregrine falcon pair known to nest on top of Winchester Cathedral, after what appears to be a murder by a romantic rival.

Nesting season for Britain's peregrine falcons, who frequently choose manmade structures from castles to high-rises to raise their chicks, is almost here. But the stars of Winchester Cathedral's popular peregrine falcon nest camera livestream might be a little different this year, after dedicated mum 'Winnie' was found dead.

In a statement, Hampshire Ornithological Society chair Keith Betton said the cathedral's regular breeding pair, Winnie and William, returned to the site just over a week ago. However, last Wednesday viewers saw three peregrines in the air.

"Clearly an unattached bird had arrived on the scene and a scuffle followed. This happens quite often and usually it ends quite quickly, but occasionally it can lead to injury - and now we can confirm Winnie was found dead the next day," Mr Betton said. "Although this is upsetting, it is the natural course of events in nature - the younger individuals displace the older ones, and the cycle of life goes on."

William has been at the nesting tray regularly since his partner's death, he continued, and when he was not around, the new female had checked it out as well. "She clearly likes it as she has already made a dent in the shingle, indicating she wants to lay eggs there. Let’s hope that we will have the joy of welcoming a new brood of peregrine chicks soon."

Winnie had been nesting at the cathedral since 2017, and prior to that she reared several broods on the city's old Police headquarters. Mr Betton said her legacy would live on through her plentiful offspring. "By this year she was at least 15 years old which is a great age for a peregrine. In that time, she reared at least 27 chicks to fledge, and her chicks are known to be nesting in several nearby counties."

Peregrine falcons are thought to be the world's fastest birds, reaching speeds of up to 389 km/h (242 mph) when diving to catch their prey - other birds. In the UK, they were once widely persecuted like many other raptor species, but their numbers have bounced back dramatically in recent years - particularly in cities with tall buildings, which emulate the cliffs they would have traditionally called home.

Peregrines are now doing well, and are classified in the green under the UK's Birds of Conservation Concern list. They and their nests are protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

You can watch Winchester Cathedral's peregrine nest livestreams for yourself here.