This is the homepage for the LIVE-streaming “CahowCams” broadcasting from underground nesting burrows of the Bermuda Petrel or "Cahow". They are an IUCN Red Listed, “critically endangered” Lazarus Species, one of the rarest seabirds on the planet that nest only on Nonsuch Island and a few outer rocks in Bermuda. Thought extinct for 300+ years, 17 pairs were re-discovered in the 1950's, since when thanks to a longterm management plan and more recent very successful translocation project they are back up to 150+ pairs.
2022 is the 10th Season that LookBermuda’s Nonsuch Expeditions custom built “CahowCam” infrared camera systems stream LIVE video from the underground nesting burrows, from Colony “A” on Nonsuch Island in Bermuda; from which over the past few years, over 40 million minutes of footage have been watched by scientists, students and followers from around the World, now in collaboration with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
The current 2022 Nesting Season officially started in November 2021, when the Cahow pairs returned to their burrows for a month of nest building, courtship and mating. They then headed back to sea for December to feed, and the females returned back in early January to lay their single egg. If all goes well, the eggs hatch at the end of February / beginning of March and the chicks then fledge late May /early June, all of which can be followed here.
To be notified of significant CahowCam events and milestones please sign up for our Newsletter or follow our Facebook page or Twitter feed
CahowCam 1 LiveStream > The 2022 chick has NOW Fledged!
UPDATE Feb 26th: The hatching process is well underway! First pip was seen @ 2:32 am, three pips @ 3:24 am, a large pip at 4:12 am, then peeping from inside the egg is heard @5:51am, followed by subsequent reveals throughout the day. The entire process can take up to 48hrs. Watch the process unfold through the LIVEstream video below.
Update Feb 27th @ 1:57am: 24 hours from the first pip, our chick has hatched!
Update May 21st: The CahowCam 1 chick has been going out at night to exercise and imprint on its surroundings (watch LIVE on CahowCam 3 below) and is expected to fledge in the next few nights.
Update May 25th: “Atlas” the newly named CahowCam 1 chick has now fledged! On the night for the 25th after exercising in front of our Surface Cam, she roamed into the shrubery along the coastline, then did not return to burrow so seems to have fledged out of view from our cameras.
The CahowCam1 LIVEstream is playing in the YouTube player below, use the [ ] button in the bottom right to view fullscreen and drag the red timeline bar to review the past 12 hours.
CahowCam 2 LIVESTREAM > Our Chick should fletch by mid june
UPDATE March 7th: After dimples were first identified in the egg yesterday and the start of pips were observed by Jeremy today we are now on Hatch Watch for CahowCam 2 and if all goes well the full hatching is expected within the next 72hours.
UPDATE March 9th: The hatching process is taking longer than expected, and a health check today observed an increasing number of what Jeremy better decscibed as “dimple pips” around the end if the egg, however they hadn’t completely pierced the egg shell or internal membrane yet creating any actual holes. The next 24-48 hours will be very important and those watching the camera will see the parent becoming increasingly restless as the time approaches.
UPDATE: March11th @ 11:13 pm: We can hear peeps and have now seen the broken egg shell.
UPDATE March 12th: Its official our CahowCam 2 chick has hatched!
Watch the LIVEstream in the YouTube player below using the [ ] button in the bottom right to view fullscreen and drag the red timeline bar to review the past 12 hours.
CahowCam 3 LIVESTREAM > Surface Cam
Update May 22nd: The fledging process has started and over the next few weeks the chicks from the Colony will be going out of their burrows at night to exercise and imprint on their surroundings. Our will team will do our best to control the surface cam to track them as they explore the area around their burrows up to the point when they finally fledge.
2022 CahowCam Health Checks & Highlights
The 4 hour Sequence below is a time-shifted LiveStream, filmed and archived starting at 1:30 am on January 20th when the female returned and laid her egg. “Time-Shifting” allows our viewers to experience key LiveStream events at a more convenient time.
This project is being supported by the following:
