Webcam with a View of the Falcon Nest in Dubuque County, Iowa

What's in the Frame

The camera is mounted on the facade of the Dubuque County Courthouse and pointed downward at a wooden nest box attached to the cornice. In the frame is a container filled with small pebbles and gravel where peregrine falcons make their nest. To the right runs the stone wall of the building, to the left is visible the facade with windows and vertical pipes. This is a raptor nesting site that a pair of peregrine falcons has chosen for raising their young.

History of the Falcon Nest on the Courthouse

Peregrine falcons first appeared on the 5th-floor cornice of the Dubuque County Courthouse in the spring of 2016. The birds laid their eggs directly on the stone cornice, but strong wind blew them down. After this incident, Dubuque County Conservation installed a wooden box filled with gravel on the cornice to create a safe place for future clutches. Since then, the pair of peregrine falcons has returned here every year, and the webcam allows you to observe their lives in real time.

Why Peregrine Falcons Chose the Courthouse

In the wild, peregrine falcons nest on rocky ledges and cliffs. Tall buildings with stone facades and cornices perfectly mimic their natural habitat. Peregrines typically nest on ledges of rock cliffs, but have adapted to use tall buildings. The Dubuque County Courthouse is just such an example: a tall structure with stone walls and protruding cornices has become a replacement for a rocky cliff amid urban development.

How Peregrine Falcons Build Their Nest

Unlike many other birds, peregrine falcons do not build nests from twigs and grass. They create what is called a "scrape" — a shallow depression that they form by lying down and pushing with their feet. Peregrine falcons do not build nests from twigs — they create what is called a "scrape," that is, a shallow depression in existing gravel or debris on ledges and cliffs, by lying down and pushing with their feet. The wooden box with gravel installed on the courthouse provides the birds with the perfect ready-made material for creating such a nest.

Dubuque County: A City on the Mississippi River

Dubuque is the oldest city in the state of Iowa, located on the western bank of the Mississippi River. It is the county seat of Dubuque County with a population of about 58,000 people. The city is known for its historic buildings, hilly terrain, and as one of the few places in the region where peregrine falcons successfully nest in an urban environment. The Dubuque County Courthouse, where the nest is located, is in the city center and is one of the architectural landmarks.

How to Get to the Courthouse

The Dubuque County Courthouse is located at 720 Central Avenue, Dubuque, IA 52001. The building is in the central part of the city, at the intersection of Central Avenue and 7th Street. Nearby are parking, public transit stops, and a pedestrian zone. If you find yourself in Dubuque, you can reach the courthouse on foot from anywhere in downtown — it's a notable tall building with distinctive stonework.

What You Can See on the Camera

The online camera broadcasts a top-down view of the wooden nest box attached to the facade of the Dubuque County Courthouse. In the frame: a container with pebbles and gravel, the stone wall of the building on the right, the facade with windows and vertical pipes on the left. During the nesting season (spring-summer), you can observe peregrine falcons here — the fastest raptor on the planet. The camera operates in live broadcast mode, allowing you to monitor the birds' behavior at the nest in real time.