A Majestic Duo: Two Red-tailed Hawks Spotted in Gramercy Park

Dear Neighbors,

We are delighted to report that two beautiful Red-tailed Hawks—an adult and a juvenile—have been spotted gracing the trees of Gramercy Park this week.

Many of you will remember the excitement in 2009 when a young Red-tailed Hawk made the park its home. After hundreds of you cast votes, we affectionately named him "Ruggles" (after our founder, Samuel B. Ruggles), narrowly beating out the name "Edwin" (for our beloved Edwin Booth statue).

It warms our hearts to see this tradition of urban wildlife continuing. Could this new pair be descendants of Ruggles? While we can’t be sure, they certainly command the same regal presence.

About Our New Visitors Based on recent photos and sightings by our neighbors, we can distinguish our two guests by their unique markings:

• The Adult: Displays the signature brick-red tail feathers that develop only in maturity, along with a "belly band" of dark speckled streaks across a pale belly.

• The Juvenile: Can be identified by a brown, banded tail (rather than red) and often has heavier, darker streaking on its underside.

For those interested in learning more about our local avian neighbors, we invite you to view our report on The Birds of Gramercy Park.

Enjoying Wildlife Responsibly Sightings like this are a testament to the quiet sanctuary our park provides in the middle of the city. We encourage you to enjoy these majestic birds from a respectful distance.

• Look Up: They have been seen perching in the high branches near the center of the park and occasionally on the surrounding architecture.

• Do Not Feed: As always, please remember that feeding wildlife is strictly prohibited. It is vital for their health that they hunt naturally.

If you capture any more photos of our new residents, please send them to us for the Gramercy Park Archives.

Warm regards,


Arlene Harrison
Gramercy Park Block Association