Banding Peregrine Falcons in 2021
Our resident research scientist and bird expert, Christopher Nadareski, recently banded two healthy peregrine falcon chicks that hatched in a specially built nesting box atop the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge. Wildlife experts use these bands, placed on the legs of nestlings that hatch in the spring, to monitor the number of peregrines in the city, track their movements and lifespans, and identify them in case they become sick or injured. The fluffy hatchlings, who enjoy 360-degree views of the city skyline from their 215-foot Rockaway tower, are one of several falcon families being monitored citywide. Other nesting sites include the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, the Met Life Building, Riverside Church, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, 55 Water Street, and the David N. Dinkins Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street.
Capable of flying up to 200 mph while diving for prey, peregrines are the fastest birds in the world. The peregrine population was near extinction in the 1960s due to the widespread use of the now-banned pesticide DDT. The nesting boxes, designed and constructed by DEP and the participating facilities, provide the birds a safe place to hatch chicks and protects them from human disturbance. These conservation efforts have greatly helped the species recover.
