Look up next time you're crossing George Square. Way up — past the statues, past the clock, right to the very tip of the City Chambers spire. Glasgow's newest power couple has moved in.
A pair of peregrine falcons, affectionately named Bonnie and Clyde, have made the City Chambers their nesting site — and on 19 March, Bonnie laid the first egg of the 2026 season.
From Norwich to Glasgow — via cathedral
Seven-year-old Bonnie hatched in 2019 at a nest box on Norwich Cathedral before making the 400-mile journey north. She was first spotted at Glasgow Cathedral in late 2020, having apparently decided that East Anglia wasn't quite dramatic enough. Clyde's origins are more mysterious — nobody knows where he hatched or how old he is — but he and Bonnie bonded around 2021 and have been inseparable ever since.
The pair previously nested at the University of Glasgow's Gilbert Scott Tower, where they raised their chick Victor last year under the watchful eye of the Glasgow Peregrine Project, a partnership between the Scottish Ornithologists' Club, the University of Glasgow and RSPB Scotland.
A nest fit for the fastest animal on Earth
Peregrine falcons can reach speeds of over 240mph in their signature hunting dive — the stoop — making them the fastest animals on the planet. They typically nest on coastal cliff ledges, so choosing a Victorian spire in the middle of a city of 600,000 people is, to put it mildly, bold.
To make them feel at home, volunteers from the Central Scotland Raptor Study Group installed a purpose-built nest box on the spire. Built from 18mm plywood and lined with around 15cm of pea gravel, it closely replicates the stony ledges peregrines naturally prefer. Volunteer Steven McGrath, who built the box, also runs a dedicated Facebook page for updates on the pair.
A nest camera is now in place, and Glasgow City Council has launched a Falcon Watch page where the public can follow the nesting season as it unfolds.
"The most dominant predator in Glasgow"
The birds have been monitored since 2022, and local bird recorder John Simpson has watched Bonnie establish herself as queen of the city's skies. "Bonnie is formidable and the most dominant predator in Glasgow," he told BBC Scotland News earlier this year. "Eagles and buzzards will come into the city and even though they are bigger than her — they are no match."
Simpson noted the birds have been using tall buildings across the city centre as hunting perches, with pigeons providing a reliable food supply. The former Cineworld on Renfrew Street, at 65 metres tall, has been a favourite hunting perch.
Where to spot them
If you fancy catching a glimpse, George Square and the surrounding streets are your best bet. The falcons have been regularly sighted hunting along North Hanover Street and around Buchanan Galleries, typically in early morning or late afternoon. Look for a stocky falcon with a white throat, dark mask and distinctive moustache-style markings — or just follow the panicking pigeons.
With eggs typically taking around 32 days to hatch, Glaswegians could be welcoming new chicks by late April. Glasgow City Council will be posting updates on their Falcon Watch page, so keep your eyes on the skies — and on the spire.
