It’s Official, Four ‘Poo Bazookas’ Have Just Arrived on the Mid-Hudson Bridge
It's my favorite time of the year: four tiny predators have been born under the Mid-Hudson Bridge, and we get to watch them grow up.
Like clockwork, springtime in the Hudson Valley has brought about a new generation of animals. Luckily, a project championed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York State bridge Authority (NYSBA) gives local residents a front row seat to the adorable action.
Baby Peregrine Falcons in the Hudson Valley, NY
I won't make any apologies for how much I will be talking about these four baby peregrine falcons (the technical term for a baby peregrine, by the way, is eyas) as they grow up more than a hundred feet above the Hudson River. This time, it's the hilarious way they go to the bathroom (below).
Get Ready for the Poo-zooka
While the baby falcons in the video above are located in Berkeley, California, the method of potty time is the name... a "poo-zooka". As scientists explained on Facebook, each species of bird has a different method of keeping their nesting area clean, and for little eyases... that means projectile poos.
Peregrine Falcon Live Stream in the Hudson Valley, NY
The livestream camera set up on the Mid-Hudson Bridge (watch it here) now shows four tiny falcons huddling together while their parents hunt for food. Soon, the eyases will be old enough to be banded by the NYSDEC in order to better track their movements as adults (below).
Even though I have literally no connection to these falcons other than the fact that my commute takes me directly over their nest every day, I still feel like a proud uncle. The natural world is my favorite part about living in the Hudson Valley, and knowing that these impressive birds will soon take to the skies and join New York's ecosystem makes me feel... proud? Happy? Probably both and then some. Check out some more amazing local animals below.
Frolicking Beaver Family Swims in the Hudson Valley
Gallery Credit: Jonah