Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Pretty Big Hawk Just Chilling Out On Carroll Street In Carroll Gardens

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photos above courtesy of Max Kelly

My husband was the first to spot this impressive looking hawk, which was just chilling out in a large tree on Carroll Street. I wasn't around to take a photo, but thankfully, son and photographer Max Kelly had enough time to capture the bird in these photos before it flew off.

Could it be the same hawk that was spotted in Carroll Park back in November 2008? (See photos here) If it is, it certainly seems to thrive in Brooklyn. No wonder! There seems to be a never ending supply of food around. Just look at the tasty prey on a rooftop just one block away, on Smith Street.


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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was that hawk spotted this morning? On my way up President to the subway around 8:30 am, there was unusually loud squawking by a large number of birds in or near Carroll Park. Wonder if they spotted the hawk and were sending out the alarm?

concetta said...

oh oh, looks like a scene from 'the birds'--watch out yupsters!

Anonymous said...

i saw it last week on 1st place and clinton!

Anonymous said...

Cool, the Red-tailed Hawk is back!
Plenty of food around :)

laura said...

Gorgeous bird! And nice picture too.

Katia said...

The photos were taken on Sunday afternoon, but he is probably still around the area.
If someone else sees it, please let me know.

Anonymous said...

This may be the Kestral that lives on Union street.

Anonymous said...

This may be the Kestrell that lives on (.) street. Not a hawk. There are many Kestrels in NYC. I live across from the nest.

Anonymous said...

Not a kestrell (much smaller bird)
Totally different colors too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Kestrel


It looks like a red-tailed hawk, seen one also in my garden recently.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-tailed_Hawk

Anonymous said...

It looks like the female Kestrel. Puffed up for winter.
Or one of Bloombergs pigeon patrol hawks that have been
set loose in the city. The guy who jeeps a pigeon coop over near Baltic has lost several of his flock to hawks.
I found one of his banded birds this summer and he told me this. There is a Kestral survey guy I know. I'll send him this link an end the debate. Either way impressive pix Max!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I am the kestrel survey guy (aka Robert DeCandido PhD of the Bronx) - anyway, that is a Red-tailed hawk, and yes they will catch pigeons, usually when the latter are on the ground. Kestrels (as someone indicated) are much smaller. (RTs are slightly larger than crows and kestrels are about the size of a blue jay or robin). Male kestrels have blue wings...so there is a plumage difference as well.

The other raptor that likes to eat pigeons, and is common in neighborhoods in winter is the Cooper's Hawk - mid-way in size between a Red-tail and a Kestrel...Cooper's Hawks are fast-moving and will catch pigeons in flight or on the ground, usually by surprise. Finally, Peregrine Falcons are aerial hunters, high above the city - use speed to "run" down pigeons in flight.

If anyone wants more info on these raptors in NYC, or the 11 species of owls that have occurred here (three species still nest), send me an email and I will send free info.

Finally, finally - I am indeed doing a survey of nesting kestrels in NYC - do email me for more info - free - and our free NYC Kestrel Newsletter.

Thanks - and when I grew up in the Bronx in the 1970s, we never saw Red-tailed hawks in local neighborhoods. Much has changed for the better...

Robert Decandido PhD
The Bronx
rdcny@earthlink.net

Anonymous said...

The Kestrel guy said it is a RT Hawk.

Anonymous said...

Yes, let's an expert find out!

I think this is a red-tailed hawk

Carol Gardens said...

Looks like a kestrel to me as well. I once had one on my fire escape back in the East Village. The cats were going INSANE!

Anonymous said...

Great photo, Max. I wonder did it stay as long as the one in Carroll Park a couple of years ago? Although the one in Carroll Park had already captured its breakfast,lunch,dinner and snack....