Rewind video for instant replay: Click anywhere on the red timeline bar below the image to go back up to 4 hours. Click on the "LIVE" button to return to the live feed. Make the video full screen by pressing the double arrow in the lower right. To escape from full screen, press the ESC key, or tap "Done" on your mobile device.
Note to viewers: This is live video of wild peregrine falcons living in nature. Natural struggles will occur and some of the feeding or other wild bird behaviors may be difficult to watch. Please use discretion when watching this cam. DNR staff monitor these cameras.
This falcon camera is brought to you by the DNR Nongame Wildlife Program, which has fostered the future of Minnesota’s rare and vulnerable wildlife for over 40 years. The program is largely supported by donations from people like you.
Welcome to the DNR FalconCam!
This wildlife camera follows a pair of peregrine falcons during their breeding season. The restoration of peregrine falcons in Minnesota is a major conservation success story. This pair’s nest box is located in downtown Saint Paul, nesting near the top of the Town Square Tower building. This site is highly desirable for the falcons because it provides a clear view of the Mississippi River. Peregrine falcons feed almost exclusively on birds, primarily pigeons, so this river corridor provides them with easy hunting, particularly during migration as birds journey along the Mississippi Flyway. Watch their story unfold.
2026 Season Updates
April update
The peregrine falcon pair welcomed their first egg on Sunday morning, April 19, their second egg on Tuesday, April 21, their third on Thursday, April 23 and their fourth on Sunday, April 26. In the Midwest, peregrine falcons typically lay a maximum of four eggs, so the DNR doesn’t expect any more eggs this nesting season.
Incubation began around April 23, when the falcons laid egg three. From this point, one adult will almost always be present on the nest, keeping the eggs warm. Both male and female peregrine falcons share incubation duties, and FalconCam viewers may catch glimpses of the eggs during brief exchanges between the parents.
Peregrine falcon eggs typically hatch 33 to 35 days after incubation begins. The DNR expects hatching to occur between May 26 and May 28. This marks an exciting milestone as we move closer to the arrival of a new generation of peregrine falcons.
Peregrine falcon eggs are small, about 1.5–2 inches long. The speckles and blotches of brown, reddish and gray colors help camouflage them in the nest. Each egg’s pattern is unique, almost like a tiny natural mosaic, and when laid in a nest box or on a cliff ledge, they sit snugly in the shallow scrape, waiting to hatch into the next generation of these remarkable raptors.
The male peregrine falcon has been identified by the Midwest Peregrine Society as a banded, 4-year-old that fledged from Minneapolis City Hall in 2022. The female is a 13-year-old that fledged from the St. Cloud Correctional Facility in 2013. This year marks her eleventh breeding season at this nest box. The male is a new mate for her.
History of the falcon nest box
In 1987, a nest box was placed on the east side of the building and was first used by a pair of falcons in 1988. Several pairs of falcons have chosen this site as their home, producing 93 chicks through 2025.
The DNR Nongame Wildlife Program thanks its partners in this webcam adventure: The Midwest Peregrine Society, Sentinel Properties and the Town Square building tenants.
More about peregrine falcons
Love falcons? So do we!
The DNR FalconCam is run by Minnesota's Nongame Wildlife Program. Our program's goal is to ensure a future for Minnesota's at-risk wildlife, as well as engage Minnesotans in wildlife outreach and education. The FalconCam is one of our best tools for bringing Minnesota’s wildlife to everyone. And your donations help keep it running!
You can donate online anytime. All donations are double-matched and help Minnesota's rare and vulnerable wildlife. Residents of Minnesota can also give a gift to the FalconCam on their state tax forms by donating a portion of their tax return to the Nongame Wildlife Fund.
We sincerely thank you for any amount you give, it all makes a difference in the life of Minnesota’s animals. Our work helping Minnesota's wildlife and running the FalconCam wouldn’t be possible without you. Thank you!
The DNR Nongame Wildlife Program thanks its partners in this webcam adventure: The Midwest Peregrine Society, Sentinel Properties and the Town Square building tenants.