NYC Bridges Get Baby Peregrine Falcons

Endangered peregrine falcon pairs have been nesting atop three New York City bridges and city environmentalists are tagging the twelve newborns with the help of the MTA.

Each year around the end of May research scientist Chris Nadareski, of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, climbs to the top of the three bridges and puts identifying bands on the falcon chicks. This helps wildlife experts keep track of the number of peregrines in the city, and identify them in case they become sick or injured. This year he was assisted by Barbara Saunders of the state DEC. The bandings took place on May 28 and May 29 when the falcon chicks were about three weeks old. 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 endangered birds list. 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.

This clip was made at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.