IT’S ‘all change’ for birds in the Dales as starlings mass, the last swifts depart for Africa – and the closely-watched peregrine young of Malham Cove leave home.

The pair of peregrines at the cove has this year put on a great show, successfully fledging a brood of four young.

It is only the second time four young have been fledged since peregrines returned to the cove to breed in the early 1990s.

Between the start of April and early August more than 16,500 people stopped at a free public viewpoint at the foot of the cove to see the birds.

A dedicated team of volunteers from the RSPB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority contributed 151 full-time equivalent days to staff the viewpoint and help visitors enjoy the spectacle of watching the peregrine family.

Ian Court, wildlife conservation officer at the national park, said: “It is great news that once again the peregrines have bred successfully at the cove and managed to get four young away. Visitors have been enthralled to watch their story unfold and it has been great to see so many people enjoy watching this iconic bird.”

Anthony Hills from the RSPB said: “The name ‘peregrine’ comes from a Latin word meaning ‘wanderer’ – and that is what the four young will be doing now.

“The birds aren’t tagged but we know peregrines can range far and wide. Eventually they’ll look to find a suitable rocky outcrop or tall building to nest.”

The viewpoint at the cove was part of the Malham Peregrine Project, a partnership between the national park and the RSPB, now in its 17th year.

Since the project started, more than 282,000 people have used the viewpoint to marvel at the magnificent birds.

The project is part of the RSPB’s ‘Date with Nature’ programme of events around the UK, which make rare and spectacular wildlife accessible for everyone to see.

Malham Cove is one of the most successful peregrine nest sites in the national park, with at least 61 young raised since a pair first nested in 1993.

The peregrine is the largest British breeding falcon and has a wingspan of up to 3.7 feet, with the female considerably larger than the male.

They typically pair for several years, and may live up to 10 years - the oldest known lived to 17 years.

Peregrines feed on medium sized birds, predominately pigeons, which they catch in high-speed aerial stoops – although more often than not they fail to make a kill.

They have been recorded reaching speeds of 200 miles an hour, making them the fastest animal on the planet.