Wildlife

When most people think of wildlife in NYC they imagine sewer rats and pigeons.  I will agree that there are plenty of those here in the city but there are lots of other animals that live on the streets (or in the sky as I've come to discover) in the city as well.  This week my husband and I saw a prime specimen on the trip home from the store.  It was a peregrine falcon!  I know the picture isn't terribly great but I'll be perfectly honest with you and confess that I am terrified of birds.  I am of the opinion that birds have two jobs-the first is to be delicious and the second is to leave me the hell alone.  That second point is especially true of birds of prey and I have no desire to be anywhere near them.  Because of this I was not willing to get any closer to take a picture so this one will just have to do.

Peregrine falcons are actually really common in NYC and there is even a sign that tells all about them in a park in the financial district.  According to the NYC Department of Environmental Protection there are at least 32 falcon couples in the area (they mate for life) and they apparently nest on high rise buildings and church steeples.  They dine primarily on medium sized birds so the pigeons in New York are essentially an all you can eat buffet for falcons which more than explains their constant presence in the city.  As we were walking home from the store we got to see this particular falcon in action as he grabbed a pigeon and proceeded to start tearing it apart while we watched.  He obviously wasn't too hungry though because after a minute or two of torture he let the pigeon go and then just sat there on the lamp post so that I could take a picture.  Don't ever let anyone tell you that there is no nature in New York City!