Cuomo Bridge Falcons: Another Egg Appears In Nest

TARRYTOWN, NY — Another egg was laid by the mother falcon nesting high atop the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge over the past weekend, bringing the total to four — so far.

Experts said peregrine falcons can lay up to five eggs in the early spring.

If the eggs are viable, the chicks — or eyases, as they are called — will hatch about a month after they have been laid.

The man-made nest box, which is more than 400 feet above the Hudson River, was designed specifically for the falcons, according to a spokesperson.

Members of the public can keep an eye on the family of raptors via a webcam that was installed in the box to document the falcons' lives.

Falcons were once considered endangered, according to the National Park Service. They were removed from the endangered species list in 1999, after being in decline since the 1970s because of egg-shell thinning by pollutants such as DDT.

Peregrine falcons can reach speeds of more than 200 miles per hour in a controlled dive, making them the fastest member of the animal kingdom.

The high vantage point of their nest near the top of the bridge is ideal for the birds to scour for and dive after prey.

Progress on the falcons and their eggs can be followed on Twitter.

SEE ALSO:

• Falcon Lays 2 Eggs High Atop Cuomo Bridge
• Cuomo Bridge Falcons: Now There Are 3 Eggs