This week our observation comes from Dr. Christy Zolnik who spotted this Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) on the southern edge of Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, New York City. We’ve posted about Red-tailed Hawks before as part of our Urban Observation of the Week, but seeing hawks in the city never ceases to amaze me.
Raptors (birds of prey that primarily hunt vertebrates) are making a comeback in cities all over the world thanks to the abundance of pigeons and rats that live alongside humans. And city-dwellers are enjoying watching these charismatic creatures fly, hunt, gather nesting materials and raise their young via nest cams.
Have you spotted a raptor in your urban neighborhood? What about a rare plant or animal that you were surprised to find in a city? If so, let Lindsay know or Tweet at us and your photo could be featured as an urban observation of the week.
