Brooklyn Bird Watch: May 12
Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis
Today, Brooklyn Bird Watch presents a beautiful Heather Wolf portrait-style close-up photo of a juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk, seen in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
The Red-Tailed Hawk is the most widespread and therefore the most familiar hawk in North America. It can be recognized by its shriek as well as by its namesake, the distinct reddish-brown tail, while the rest of its plumage is variable. Hollywood directors consider the shriek of the Red-Tailed Hawk to be the definitive sound a raptor makes (or should make) which is why they use the Red Tail shrieks for sound effects, even if there is an eagle or another raptor actually on screen.
The Red-Tailed Hawk is a monogamous bird and often mates for life. These hawks build nests high above the ground and both sexes take turns to incubate the eggs for about five weeks. Chicks leave the nest about six weeks after birth.
Brooklyn Boro
View MoreNew York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn, is home to nearly 2.6 million residents. If Brooklyn were an independent city it would be the fourth largest city in the United States. While Brooklyn has become the epitome of ‘cool and hip’ in recent years, for those that were born here, raised families here and improved communities over the years, Brooklyn has never been ‘uncool’.