MTA Bridges and Tunnels announced Wednesday that a peregrine falcon chick hatched and joined its mother falcon in a specially built nesting box on the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge.
The fluffy hatchling, which enjoys 360-degree views of the city skyline from its perch atop the 215-foot Rockaway Tower, was recently ringed for wildlife monitoring, as it is every year.
Every year in May or June, research scientist Chris Nadareski of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection climbs to the top of the bridges and places identification bands on the falcon chicks.
This helps wildlife experts keep track of the number of pilgrims in the city and identify them in case they get sick or injured. Ringing was carried out on June 15 when the falcon chick was about three weeks old. MTA Bridges and Tunnels has been part of the state nesting program since 1983.
Peregrine falcons were nearly wiped out in the 1960s as a result of pesticides in their food supply and remain on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s list of endangered birds.
Urban falcons like to nest atop bridges, church steeples, and high-rise buildings because they provide an excellent vantage point for hunting prey, including pigeons and small birds.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels provides a nesting box for the hawks on each of the bridges, but otherwise leaves the birds alone, especially during nesting season. Falcons mate for life and usually return to the same nest to hatch their young.
The banding process is done according to agency procedures and does not harm the bird.
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