{"id":2205,"date":"2009-03-24T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2009-03-24T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nybg.org\/wordpress\/?p=2205"},"modified":"2009-03-24T11:59:28","modified_gmt":"2009-03-24T15:59:28","slug":"red-tailed-hawks-building-nest-at-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nybg.org\/blogs\/plant-talk\/2009\/03\/wildlife\/red-tailed-hawks-building-nest-at-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Red-tailed Hawks Building Nest at Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\"\"\"\"<\/td>\nWayt Thomas is the Elizabeth G. Britton Curator of Botany in the Institute of Systematic Botany. Stella Sylva is Administrative Curator in the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium.<\/em><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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\nPhoto by Tony Kirchgessner<\/em><\/div>\n

For the past several weeks a pair of red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis<\/em>) has been building a nest on the\u00a0Library building. Their nest is in a small triangular alcove near the top of the front face of the building on the east side (see photos)—they swoop by our office windows on their way to and from the nest.<\/p>\n

Last year they started building a nest here but changed their mind and went elsewhere—<\/span>Fordham University, according to Debbie Becker<\/a>, who leads the Saturday morning bird walks <\/a>at the Botanical Garden. T<\/span>his year the hawks seem to be serious. Two weeks ago they were engaged in a very active courtship display and mated several times a day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto by Wayt Thomas<\/em><\/div>\n

Red-tailed hawk pairs are monogamous, with females (2–4.5 lbs.) larger than males (1.5–3 lbs). The adults have a dark brown back with a pale underbelly and a darker band across the belly; the tail is brick-red above and pinkish below. Our pair is unusual in that they are accompanied by a third hawk—rarely, a second female may help tend the nest and feed the young. This immature bird is an offspring of the pair’s from last year. If everything proceeds according to what we know about these hawks, 1 to 3 eggs will be laid in late March or April—we’ll keep you posted.<\/p>\n

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\nPhoto by Wayt Thomas<\/em><\/div>\n

Red-tailed hawks usually feed on small mammals or birds and their preferred habitat is a mix of forest and open areas, such as we have here on the Garden grounds. Their diet consists primarily of squirrels, pigeons, small birds, and rabbits. We don’t know if they are part of the Garden’s Integrated Pest Management plan, but there are fewer squirrels than usual in front of the Library building.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wayt Thomas is the Elizabeth G. Britton Curator of Botany in the Institute of Systematic Botany. Stella Sylva is Administrative Curator in the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium. Photo by Tony Kirchgessner For the past several weeks a pair of red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) has been building a nest on the\u00a0Library building. Their nest is… <\/p>\n

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