Falcons at Neversink

Three New York State endangered peregrine falcons were released back into the wild at Neversink Dam. The birds of prey had been injured and underwent rehabilitation at The Raptor Trust, a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Millington, NJ, under permission from the NYS DEC.

Two of the birds had previously been banded by our research scientist Christopher Nadareski, Section Chief of Wildlife Studies for the Bureau of Water Supply, who conducted the release. One bird was banded 17 years ago atop the Bayonne Bridge on Staten Island and the other had been banded 5 years ago at the Throgs Neck Bridge in the Bronx. A third bird was found in Manhattan in 2017 and was banded by Nadareski prior to the release. All three birds are associated with the our Peregrine Falcon Management Program in cooperation with the NYS DEC. In partnership with MTA Bridges and Tunnels, we’ve placed nesting boxes on several New York City spans, and some buildings, to provide the birds a safe place to hatch chicks away from human disturbance. The goal of the program is to one day be able to remove the peregrine falcon from the state’s endangered species list.