Salisbury Cathedral’s peregrine falcon chicks have hatched. The first chick was spotted on the livestream at 11.19am on 25 April, tucked right underneath the female.

The first of the four eggs to hatch, the little chick would have been hard at work for around 72 hours breaking its way out of the shell. It does this using a hard pointed area on its beak called the ‘egg tooth’.

When a chick is ready to hatch a special neck muscle contracts, causing its head to snap upwards and bringing the egg tooth into contact with the shell, causing it to crack. Bit by bit the chick chips at the shell, making sounds to let the parent know it is on its way.

Over the next few days the rest of the chicks also hatched.

The livestream peregrine page on the cathedral’s website received thousands of views while the eggs hatched, with people following from Australia, Europe and America.

Ringing is scheduled to take place in mid-May with a naming poll set to follow in due course.