When Matt Jacob, co-author of City Steps of Pittsburgh, visited the 62nd Street Bridge on June 4 and 5 to take pictures for a new book about the city’s parks, playgrounds, and trails he found a surprise. There were two peregrines at the bridge and they were carrying food over the Allegheny River to a cubbyhole in the structure.

Peregrine at the 62nd Street Bridge, 5 June 2026 (photo by Matt Jacob @matt_jacob)

“Carrying food” means they have a nest somewhere between the center and City side of the bridge.

Pair of peregrines at the 62nd Street Bridge, 5 June 2026 (photo by Matt Jacob @matt_jacob)

This isn’t the first time peregrines have nested at 62nd Street but they rarely choose this site. The last successful nest was discovered in early July 2019 when a parent and juvenile peregrine hung out at Tree Pittsburgh below the bridge. Fortunately the structure is beneath the deck so the young don’t fledge into traffic.

62nd Street Bridge over the Allegheny River, 2007 (photo by Dan Yagusic)

How old are the chicks at the 62nd Street Bridge? When will they fledge? We’ll have to watch and see.

Etna Riverfront Park and the riverbank below it are good vantage points for watching the peregrines.

The 62nd Street Bridge is one of three potential peregrine nesting bridges on the Allegheny River that are very rarely used. Sightings of juveniles in this area usually occur in July indicating the parents nested late, perhaps after failure at another site.

And so I wonder … is this where the peregrines from East Liberty Presbyterian steeple ended up after their nest blew away in late March?

62nd Street and Highland Park bridges as seen from beneath Aspinwall RR bridge, July 2021 (photo by Kate St. John)

p.s. Follow Matt Jacob’s photography on Instagram at @matt_jacob or @pghsteps.