Milton Keynes peregrine falcon fledges from stadiummk roof Published duration 21 July 2015

image copyright Parks Trust Milton Keynes image caption The peregrine pair set up their home at stadiummk in an abandoned crow's nest

A pair of peregrine falcons has set up home in an old crow's nest at a football stadium in Milton Keynes.

The world's fastest predatory birds have also produced a chick that has just fledged from stadiummk.

Martin Kincaid, biodiversity officer at The Parks Trust, said: "The great news is that the fledgling peregrine has flown the nest this July.

"This is a first for Milton Keynes and only the second known breeding site in Buckinghamshire."

A single bird was spotted at the stadium in 2013 and gave a high speed display during an MK Dons game by attacking a flock of pigeons.

It has now been joined by a mate and the result is the chick that fledged this month.

image copyright Getty Images image caption The stadium was built in 2007

"It's really exciting that these spectacular birds have chosen to nest in stadiummk and have successfully raised their first chick," Mr Kincaid, from the trust, said.

"We look forward to working with MK Dons to ensure that they can nest safely in years to come."

The Parks Trust was created in 1992 to care for green space in Milton Keynes and was granted a substantial property and investment portfolio to ensure it was entirely self-financing.

Mark Thomas, from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: "Peregrines are doing really well in urban areas but I think this might be the first ever pair to breed on a football ground, something for everyone to cheer."

Later this year, a nesting platform will be installed in the stadium offering the birds an improved nesting site.

Buckinghamshire Bird Club will help to monitor the birds and ring the young each year.

The peregrine falcon is the world's fastest predatory animal reaching speeds of 200mph (320km/h) in dives.

In the 1960s and 1970s, peregrines were close to extinction in England largely as a result of egg collectors and DDT poisoning.

The birds are a fully protected species in Europe.

Peregrines feed exclusively on other bird species, notably pigeons and song birds.

Related Topics Birds