Bayonne Bridge falcon family marks Mother’s Day with baby chicks

One new mom is very busy this Mother’s Day, The Bayonne’s Bridge’s peregrine falcon nesting tower, perched high above the Kill Van Kull, is home to two new chicks so far this year, with two more possibly hatching at any moment.

The Port Authority and the New York City Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) expect to band the chicks in the next few weeks, when they’ll also be named. Banding helps conservationists track the birds, gathering data on their health and the health of the overall population.

The tiny arrivals mark another successful year for the Bayonne Bridge’s nesting tower, part of an effort by the Port Authority and partner agencies to promote conservation in New York state, where the birds are endangered.

Once nearly wiped out across the eastern U.S., peregrine falcons are now thriving. They were removed from the federal endangered species list in 1999, though New York state still lists the bird as endangered. To help their conservation, the Port Authority has worked with New York City’s environmental protection department (DEP) for more than three decades to provide safe nesting locations high above its vehicular bridges where DEP can access the nests and help track the birds. Last year, the Port Authority’s nesting towers at the George Washington Bridge and the Bayonne Bridge welcomed seven chicks, known as eyasses, in total.

As a top predator and an indicator species, the peregrine falcons’ presence signals a healthy environment. When peregrine falcons return, it means the ecosystem beneath them is in balance.

To watch Bayonne Bridge’s falcon family, including the two possible hatchings soon, visit the Port Authority’s falcon livestream webcam. All photos are courtesy of the Port Authority.