Golden State Today

Nox, a young peregrine falcon from UC Berkeley, passed away on Wednesday at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Hospital. His death has been met with an outpouring of grief and tributes from those who followed his journey.

Named Equinox but affectionately called Nox or Little Boy Blue, he was one of four chicks that hatched during Earth Week last April at UC Berkeley’s Campanile. His distinctive blue tape ID band set him apart from his siblings.

After being rescued in Richmond due to acute emaciation, Nox received a blood transfusion at UC Davis but did not survive. Just days earlier, he had been released into the wild following surgery for a broken wing and extensive rehabilitation.

Sean Peterson of Cal Falcons expressed the group's devastation over Nox's loss: “Losing him is incredibly difficult, especially with how much work he and his human caretakers put in to return to the wild from his initial injury.”

Michelle Hawkins, director of the California Raptor Center, shared her condolences and noted that despite best efforts in wildlife care, outcomes can be heartbreaking. She stated that further tests would be conducted to determine the cause of death.

Berkeley’s falcons have faced challenges in recent years. Annie, Nox's mother, has lost three other young falcons — Lux, Lindsay, and Sequoia — while navigating life with multiple mates since 2021 after Grinnell's death.

In April this year, all four of Annie’s eggs successfully hatched for the first time under observation. Hundreds watched live as Nox emerged as a "tiny little bundle of fluff," according to Peterson.

Wildlife photographer Bridget Ahern described her emotional reaction to Nox's passing and recalled his early attempts at flying and landing. “People just adored him,” she said.

Mary Malec from Cal Falcons remembered Nox for his adventurous spirit: “He even flew through the bars of the Campanile’s observation deck on his second day (flying).”

Peterson concluded by saying that although Nox's life was brief, “we will all always treasure the moments we had with him.”