Conservationists have banded 12 peregrine falcon chicks in nests high atop three New York City bridges.
The bandings took place at the Verrazano-Narrows, Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial and the Throgs Neck bridges on May 28 and 29 when the falcon chicks were about three weeks old.
Each year, research scientist Chris Nadareski, of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, climbs to the top of the three bridges and puts identifying bands on the birds. He also checks their health and numbers.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bridges and Tunnels says it provides nesting boxes for the birds but mostly leaves them alone.
Peregrine falcons were nearly wiped out in the 1960s as a result of pesticides and they remain on the state's endangered birds list.
