Our Urban Raptors - Spring 2012 Brings
Both Good and Bad News

So far, 2012 has seen a good deal of good news for the city's growing raptor population. Nesting success has been tempered, however, by several deaths due to rodenticide poisoning.

Bobby and Rosie
© Bruce Yolton New York City's raptor population has been fully engaged this spring in nest-building, egg-laying... and hatching!  The City can boast of 10 confirmed red-tailed hawk nests, plus another 20 possible nesting sites. (We believe we are underestimating numbers in eastern Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, so if you know of nest sites in those areas, please let us know.)  Confirmed nesting pairs with current nestlings include Pale Male and new mate Zena at their Fifth Avenue site; Rosie and  Bobby at NYU's Bobst Library, whose nest can be viewed on the hawk cam at the New York Times City Room blog; and "Mama and Papa," whose Briarwood, Queens nest can be see on our Queens Hawk Cam.   Bruce Yolton's blog is also an excellent source for photos and news on the city's red-tailed hawks.  In addition to our  headline-stealing red-tailed hawk populations, there are approximately 10 peregrine falcon pairs nesting on building ledges and bridges in the city, and 18 pairs of osprey, including 15 pairs in Jamaica Bay alone.  Often overlooked are the City's many kestrels, our most numerous urban raptor. 

On a sadder note, we unfortunately lost four red-tailed hawks in the past month. Three out of four deaths have been confirmed as due to rodenticide poisoning, while rodenticide may have contributed to the death of the fourth bird.  The full necropsy results can be viewed here.

Rodenticide is one of the leading causes of death's of our urban hawk population, and NYC Audubon has been working to reduce the use of such poisons, particularly in areas where hawks nest.  Last spring, we produced a brochure to help educate building owners and managers about safer rat-control methods. To date we've distributed nearly 5,000 copies, and we expect to distribute more in the coming weeks. The flyer is available online here.   Anyone can help in this effort; we'd be happy to mail copies to those interested in distributing the brochure. (Please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .) Although it hasn't been formally endorsed by the Department of Health, the brochure has been reviewed by Dr. Robert Corrigan, the Department's chief expert on rat control, who agreed that our guidelines would be effective for rat control in the city.  NYC Audubon has been in discussions about the best approach to getting an outright ban in NYC on Brodifacoum and Difethialone, the two most dangerous rat poisons for raptors.

*Banner photos courtesy of Francois Portmann and Kati Solomon