New Peregrine Falcon Chicks Discovered Atop 3 MTA Bridges
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Some of the city's newest residents have rooms with spectacular views.
Ten peregrine falcon chicks recently hatched and were banded on top of three Metropolitan Transportation Authority bridges.
They include two males and a female 693 feet atop the Brooklyn tower of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a male and three females 215 feet atop the Rockaway tower at the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, and males and a female 360 feet atop the Bronx tower of the Throgs Neck Bridge.
PHOTOS: Peregrine Falcons On MTA Bridges
Peregrine falcons were nearly wiped out in the 1960s due to pesticides in their food supply in, and were listed as endangered until 1999. The MTA Bridges and Tunnels division has been part of the state bird nesting program since 1983.
Every year near the end of May, New York City Department of Environmental Protection research scientist Chris Nadareski climbs to the top of the each bridges and places identifying bands on the falcon chicks, the MTA said. He was assisted by Barbara Saunders of the state Department of Environmental Conservation this year.
The bandings took place between May 18 and May 25 when the chicks were around three weeks old, the MTA said.