Friday, May 31, 2019

Sad hawk news from Tompkins Square

I'm sorry to report it appears one of the Tompkins Square hawk chicks has passed away. The cause is unknown, but it happened some time last night between 7pm and 6am.

This nest has been difficult to observe as it is very high and obscured by leaves. This photo was taken on May 27 (Memorial Day) when I was able to catch a brief glimpse of Amelia and the chick.

Amelia and her chick

Based on feather development, I am guessing this was the younger of the two nestlings, although they were hard to tell apart early on, as shown in this photo taken May 10.

Siblings

We lost a fledgling last year to a combination of rodenticide and West Nile virus. The year before that, another fledgling died and tested positive for West Nile. It's not possible at this time to say what killed this chick, but the same dangers still exist in our environment. The Parks Department does not use rodenticide in Tompkins Square, but it is used all over the neighborhood on private property and in some community gardens. West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes, so any standing water is a breeding ground for them.

I will post any updates if/when I know anything.

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