3 Baby Redtail Hawks

We have a few nesting pairs here in NYC. Everyone who's into these fabulous birds gets very excited around this time of year, and there are many people keeping an eye on the nests and watching to see how many babies are born.

There were 3 born in a nest in Riverside Park - about 3 weeks ago. Avid watchers have been watching the parents feed and keeping an eye out for little fuzzy heads popping up.

Saturday, during extremely high winds in NY, the nest was blown out of the tree and destroyed, the 3 eyasses along with it.

I feel so sad. I know the parents are following instinct, and all the feedings and stuff are instinctual and they don't have "human-like" feelings of love and loss, and they're already re-building the nest, and they'll go on and produce more, next year, but I still can't get over my own feeling of loss. You watch these magnificent birds feeding their young and putting out a huge wing to protect them from the sun, and doing it together, and it's easy to put human emotions on that.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. I just can't get this out of my mind. Poor little babies.

Nature is a harsh master, and cares little for the individual of any species. It breaks my heart to see all the animals that die on a daily basis, but it's the way it is.

I know. And the death rate for redtail hawks in their first year is 70%.

We do have 2 (I believe) nests that are thriving with their babies, though.

We had those high winds too. I am sure there were all kinds of casualities.

I also love the hawks. There is one field where there is always a hawk sitting on the top of a phone pole just watching.

Poor little ones. They are probably soaring over the Bridge today.

Originally Posted by farleyv

They are probably soaring over the Bridge today.

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I like that vision.

I began birding when I lived in Astoria over 20 years ago (!!), and I made many trips to Central Park to watch the hawks. I remember Gary and I visiting a client with floor-ceiling windows overlooking central park in their entrance - Gary is terrified of heights, and was smashed up against the far inside wall while we waited - but when that red-tailed hawk came swooping RIGHT by the window, he totally forgot about the height and had to come watch.....

I understand your sense of loss.

RIP, babies. Have fun taunting the kitties over the bridge....

They are beautiful birds. I am sorry for the loss to those who enjoyed watching this nest. However hawks can steal small mammals like cats, dogs etc. We have them flying over the fields here where I live and my cats have to live outside. The neighbors always have ducks, chickens baby turkeys etc. and I am thinking they are feeding the hawks.

Originally Posted by LDG

I began birding when I lived in Astoria over 20 years ago (!!), and I made many trips to Central Park to watch the hawks. I remember Gary and I visiting a client with floor-ceiling windows overlooking central park in their entrance - Gary is terrified of heights, and was smashed up against the far inside wall while we waited - but when that red-tailed hawk came swooping RIGHT by the window, he totally forgot about the height and had to come watch.....

I understand your sense of loss.

RIP, babies. Have fun taunting the kitties over the bridge....

Click to expand...

I work in a tall glass building in Omaha and I was told today that they turn down the lights and lower the blinds on second shift so the birds don't fly into the glass windows.

RIP little babies