Fledgling Raptors Are Only One Part of Thriving Local Avian Ecosystem
The population of Lower Manhattan is poised to swell by four in the next few days, as the eggs of a pair of peregrine falcons nesting on the roof of 55 Water Street near hatching. The aerie at the top of the building has welcomed raptors for more than a decade, and the live, 24-hour Falcon Cam allows close-up nest-watching. But this year, apprehension runs high among bird lovers still in mourning over the February death of the uptown owl Flaco. Flaco escaped his enclosure at the Central Park Zoo a year ago and, against the odds, had thrived—but then died after colliding with a building. A necropsy found toxic levels of rat poison in his system.
“This probably won’t be an issue for the falcons at 55 Water,” says Lower Manhattan resident Gail Karlsson, the unofficial doyenne of Downtown birders. “Falcons don’t eat rats,” she notes. “They eat birds.”
This distinction was vividly imparted to Ms. Karlsson several years ago when she was birdwatching in the Battery. “I saw a mourning dove flying overhead,” she recalls, “and a moment later spotted a falcon above and behind it, which swooped down and grabbed the mourning dove, then killed and ate it.”
Peregrine falcons are the fastest creatures on the planet, and have been recorded diving at 200 mph. They have adapted well to urban habitats all over the world, nesting at the tops of tall buildings and bridges, and targeting pigeons and other birds as prey.
A retired environmental lawyer, Ms. Karlsson discovered a new passion when “I started going on bird walks, sponsored by the Battery Conservancy and led by Gabriel Willow [from NYC Audubon], and realized that there’s a lot more to this than pigeons and sparrows.”
“The seasonal migrating birds are starting to come through, many of which travel more than 4,000 miles,” she observes. “Some voyage to the Arctic for the spring tundra bloom, which means there are suddenly millions of insects, to provide protein for their babies. Others travel much shorter distances. Ospreys breed in Jamaica Bay, but go south for the winter because the fish they feed on in shallow water are most abundant in the Caribbean and South America during our winter.”
This rich pageant inspired Ms. Karlsson to author the book A Birds’ Guide to The Battery and New York Harbor. “Tall buildings are similar to the natural nesting sites for some raptors,” she reflects. “And the Battery became a vibrant place for birds because of the gardens planted there by the Conservancy. All the native plants they have reintroduced have made a huge difference for the avian population.”
Over the next few weeks, tens of thousands of birds will pass through Lower Manhattan in the annual spring migration. Free birdwatching walks are scheduled by The Battery and the Battery Park City Authority through May. NYC Audubon hosts outings and classes all over New York City. And, Birdcast offers real-time bird migration maps.