Experts say that the beloved birds might have been felled by the virus as it spreads across California. “This is the first time we've seen such an extended absence from the tower,” the group said. Annie typically lays her first egg in mid-March, although falcons in the northern California region can successfully nest as late as May or June. While it remains possible that Annie and Archie could still show up next month, they sought to address the “elephant in the room” that is bird flu.
![[Annie fights off an intruder near U.C. Berkeley's Campanile tower. Scientist and volunteer group Cal Falcons said predators could be a factor in their disappearance]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/26/18/30/Annieandintruder2023-1500.jpeg)
“Aside from a couple of very brief sightings of a couple of other Peregrines on campus, it has been exceptionally quiet this winter. This is a marked contrast with the population three to four years ago, where there were regular intrusions at the Campanile by other falcons (called floaters),” they explained. “Floaters are a sign of a healthy population and ecosystem. The decrease in number of floaters is also an indication that HPAI is affecting not just breeding pairs, but birds looking for their own territories as well.”.
So, have the pair succumbed to the virus? There’s been no evidence of a sick or dying bird at the tower. The last time they were seen they looked to be healthy. Volunteers have not found bodies at their favorite spots. They’ve also been searching Instagram photos and eBird reports.
“Nevertheless, it is possible that Annie and Archie have tragically succumbed to HPAI,” Cal Falcons said. There are some other less morbid options to explain their disappearing act. They could be hunting off campus, have changed their territory due to the effects of the outbreak, larger predators could be responsible, or there’s another dynamic that is not understood.
They pointed out that studying wildlife only offers small snapshots into the cognition, decision-making, and lives of wild animals. “We may never know...” Cal Falcons said. Unless new raptors claim the Campanile, Cal Falcons says it’s not giving up hope that Annie and Archie will return. Annie was first seen at the tower in 2016. She’s had multiple mates since then and hatched 22 chicks.
