Peregrine falcons continue to nest on the chimneys of the ORLEN Unipetrol group’s production sites. Following the spring courtship rituals, which traditionally mark the start of each nesting cycle, the falcon pairs have taken up residence in their nests and the females are currently incubating their eggs. Ornithologists are monitoring a total of eight eggs across the various sites via cameras. At the Litvínov site, the falcons have four eggs; the female laid the same number in Kralupy nad Vltavou. At Parama in Pardubice, a pair of falcons has been moving around the nest box since the end of February. As well as experts, members of the public can also watch what is happening in the nests online​. According to ornithologists, the first chicks should hatch in the coming days.

With the arrival of spring, peregrine falcons are returning to their nesting boxes to begin their courtship and raise a new generation of these critically endangered birds of prey. “We are watching the falcons’ nesting with great anticipation and are very curious to see how many chicks will ultimately be raised and how the whole season will unfold. Last year was exceptionally successful, and we believe we will be able to build on that this year and watch more young falcons set off into the world from the chimneys of our sites,” says Lucie Pražáková, Director of the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation.

The courtship period for falcon parents usually begins in late February or early March. Until then, the falcon pair moves around their territory and does not use the nest. The female then lays one to four eggs, which she incubates for approximately 30 days. Once the chicks hatch, an intensive period of care begins. The parents take turns providing food and keeping the chicks warm. After about three weeks, the young falcons are ringed, which allows ornithologists to track their origins and monitor population trends. The chicks usually leave the nest in June, when they set out into the world on their own. After two to three years, they find their own territory where they can nest.

Industrial sites provide peregrine falcons with a stable and relatively undisturbed environment, as well as ample food. Ornithologists point out that falcons also make use of residual heat from industrial operations or night-time lighting, which aids their navigation and hunting. These factors contribute to higher breeding success compared to some natural habitats. Long-term monitoring also shows that falcons born at the Litvínov site find new nesting sites in other industrial areas once they reach adulthood.

For example, a male that hatched in Záluží in 2016 is once again nesting at the Teplice glassworks and has been successfully rearing young there regularly since 2018. At the power station in Prunéřov, last year’s camera trap records confirmed the nesting of a pair consisting exclusively of individuals originating from Záluží – a male ringed in 2021 and a female from 2015. At Spolana in Neratovice, a male hatched in 2022 in Schwabach, Bavaria, was observed again this year.

The ORLEN Unipetrol Group will continue to support the conservation of these exceptional birds of prey. Last year’s breeding season was the most successful on record at these sites. A total of twelve chicks hatched on the chimneys in Litvínov, Kralupy nad Vltavou and Paramu near Pardubice, with four at each location. The first eggs appeared at the Litvínov refinery as early as March, and the chicks were ringed at the end of April. Nesting was also successful in Kralupy and Paramo, where the nesting box has only been in place since 2023.