Weekly Wildlife at the Garden: Legacy of the Red-tails

Posted in Wildlife on March 23 2016, by Patricia Gonzalez

Patricia Gonzalez is an NYBG Visitor Services Attendant and avid wildlife photographer.

One of my favorite things about working at The New York Botanical Garden is all the opportunities to see wild Red-tailed Hawks in action. Since my first close-up encounter with a hawk by the white pines back in February of 2009, I’ve been documenting them, both with my camera and in my notebook.

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing and filming these winged hunters as they soar overhead, hide quietly in the trees, and swoop down on unsuspecting prey. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve encountered one of them as soon as I enter the Garden grounds, or at the end of my day right before I exit. During my early treks, I learned that the adults nested nearby at Fordham University. The Botanical Garden, Fordham Campus, and the Bronx Zoo are all parts of their overall hunting ground.

But for sheer variety, the Garden is the equivalent of a raptor smorgasbord. Squirrels, chipmunks, white-footed mice, short-tailed shrews, garter snakes, and cotton-tailed rabbits are but a few of the inhabitants that call the Garden their home. They provide the hawks with sustenance all year round.

The hawks began their local activity back in 2004 when the first pair, Rose and Hawkeye, nested on a fire escape on a Creston Avenue building. The following year, they moved to an oak tree on the Fordham University Campus. In 2006, they ventured further onto the campus and settled on a ledge at Collins Hall where they would nest for six years.

Sadly, Hawkeye died, allowing for Vince to enter Rose’s life. Rose would eventually disappear, making way for Blanche. Later, Vince would disappear making way for an as yet un-named mate. Since 2004, 31 hatchlings have come from these hawks. Once these young raptors have mastered the art of flight, they eventually follow their parents our way, providing me and my colleagues with amazing opportunities to observe their behavior.

Below is a timeline of their nesting activity from 2004 to present day. There is a report that Blanche and her new beau have moved on and are setting up shop on the ledge of a commercial building on Fordham Road, not for far from the Fordham University campus. If all goes well, the neighborhood will be treated to the sight of small, fluffy heads peering out into the world. Let’s keep our talons crossed!