Second peregrine falcon found nesting at Leicester Cathedral dies

A second peregrine falcon that was found nesting at Leicester Cathedral has died.

There were originally three falcons nesting at the site, but the adult female and juvenile falcon have both died.

The surviving bird, a male, was seen a short while a ago on the ledge of the nest.

A Twitter account which monitors the falcons described it has having looked "rather poorly and suffering over the last few days which is why the cameras were turned off."

"Our thanks to the RSPCA for acting promptly and ensuring speedy collection of the body."

It comes after Leicester City Council temporarily closed Abbey Park’s Pets’ Corner to the public in a bid to limit the spread of avian flu.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency later said that the disease had been detected in the bodies of dead wild fowl.

It's possible that the peregrines at the cathedral have been similarly affected by avian flu - but government officials are working to establish the official cause of death.

Posters have also gone up in Leicester’s parks and open spaces, informing people that bird flu has been detected in the area and asking them to contact the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), if they spot dead birds in Leicester’s parks and waterways.

People should not touch any sick or dead birds, or pick up wild bird feathers.

Instead, anyone who finds dead swans, ducks, geese, or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, should report them to the DEFRA helpline on 03459 33 55 77.