“Go Bears!” I hear this at least once a day, either when I’m walking to class, working in the Campanile, and especially when I give a tour.
“Oski!” I hear that at least once a week, be that on Sproul during game day rallies, or at sports games where students want pictures with our mascot.
The Golden Bear first made its appearance in 1895 and was made Berkeley’s official mascot in 1941. So naturally, hearing “Go Bears!” and “Oski!” has now become a part of daily life for all students. However, for me, the Golden Bear is not the only animal I associate with Berkeley and what it represents. If you look towards the center of campus, somewhere between 200 and 300 feet in the air, you’ll probably spot the Cal Falcons flying around and chirping or squawking happily.
These falcons are Peregrine Falcons; they are the world’s fastest bird with dive speeds of up to 186 miles per hour. They have been a part of the Berkeley family since 2017, when a makeshift nest on the maintenance deck of the Campanile, located above the observation deck, was found and replaced by a temporary nesting box to encourage a successful nesting effort. That year, Berkeley’s first ever chicks were born and named Fiat and Lux after Berkeley’s motto meaning ‘Let there be light’.
Since then, Berkeley’s falcon family has done nothing but grow. In 2018 two adult falcons were seen near the top of the Campanile again, so a more permanent nesting box was installed and in April three chicks were born. This time, students could help name the chicks through a naming competition where they could vote on which of the suggested names they thought best fit each chick. The winning names were Berkelium, Californium, and Lawrencium, all elements discovered in Berkeley. While they are all adults now, you may still be able to spot Lawrencium around the Bay Area. She has been spotted on Alcatraz and in the Marin Headlands just north of San Francisco and has her own family now!
Since then, there have been new chicks, mates disappearing and coming back, sad deaths, and a whole lot more. The most recent news is that Annie, named after Annie Alexander (the founder of the UC Museum of Paleontology), and her new mate Lou, named after Louise Kellogg (Annie’s real-life partner), have just had a new egg hatch as of April 10, 2023!
With all this excitement it’s easy to see why the Cal Falcons have become a sensation for the students, especially for those who know where to look to keep up with all the news. To see them in person, I’ve had the most success around 9 am in the morning around the Campanile. While trying to see them in person you can also access the live webcams that have been placed at the top of the Campanile and near their nest on theCal Falcons website. From there you can also access the Falcons’ TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram where they have over 14,900 followers! The website also has details on the scientists involved in the monitoring of the falcons, the history of the falcons’ presence in the Campanile, and an awesome Q&A page with some amazing information.
Today, there are also many ways you can get involved with the Cal Falcons and their ever-growing community. There are hatch day celebrations, naming competitions, ‘fledge watch’ parties, and sometimes, if you manage to spot them or run into them, you can even talk to the photographers assigned to the birds and the scientists involved in their monitoring! The Cal Falcons website has all the information you need and is a really great place to start looking.
These birds really are one of a kind, and their continuous presence on campus since 2016 earns them the title of unofficial Berkeley mascot in my book. I’ve had loads of fun at fledge watch gatherings and hatch day parties throughout my first two years at Berkeley, and I cannot wait to attend more. So, to everyone currently on campus or thinking about visiting, go check out the Cal Falcons website! You never know what cool news you’ll find, and maybe these amazing creatures hidden in plain sight may even become your next campus fascination!