A Red Tail's Tale

January 18, 2011 5:15 PM

"Feathered Hussy Moves in on Pale Male." Famous Central Park raptor Pale Male has taken a new mate, which most likely means that Lola, his companion of the last eight years, has died. Though some birders hold out hope for her return, one expert says, "This is not the season that experienced [female hawks] cavalierly absent themselves from their established territories." Pale Male is known to have sired at least 26 chicks, and inspired both controversy and counter-protests when fancy Upper East Siders tried to evict his nest from their fancy building. The birds won that conflict. Next argument on tap: what to name his new mate.
posted by BlahLaLa (31 comments total)

Drama!


RAPTOR DRAMA.
posted by The Whelk at 5:17 PM on January 18, 2011 [10 favorites]

It seems pretty clear that she should be named Feathered Hussy.
posted by maryr at 5:18 PM on January 18, 2011 [6 favorites]

I thought that was her name.
posted by ardgedee at 5:26 PM on January 18, 2011

I wonder if he witnessed Lola's death, or if that would have any bearing on his decision to move on ?
posted by lobstah at 5:27 PM on January 18, 2011

Is gossip New York's #1 export?
posted by GuyZero at 5:28 PM on January 18, 2011

What to name the apparent feathered homewrecker? That's easy.

"Angelina."
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:30 PM on January 18, 2011 [5 favorites]

#NYCwildlife
posted by 2bucksplus at 5:30 PM on January 18, 2011

23 chicks by different partners, now hooking up with a much younger female so soon after the death of his long-time partner...

ATTABOY!
posted by Capt. Renault at 5:31 PM on January 18, 2011

.

.

.

26 you say?
posted by The Owls at 5:36 PM on January 18, 2011

I wonder if he witnessed Lola's death, or if that would have any bearing on his decision to move on ?

It was as a result of a question he placed on AskMe.
posted by Ritchie at 5:36 PM on January 18, 2011 [4 favorites]

Anyone who has any interest at all in the birds of New York city should do themselves a favor and track down a copy of Falconer of Central Park by Donald Knowler
posted by Ad hominem at 5:41 PM on January 18, 2011

for carnivorous bird of prey, LOVE EATS YOU.
posted by localroger at 5:43 PM on January 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

I wonder if he witnessed Lola's death, or if that would have any bearing on his decision to move on ?
It was as a result of a question he placed on AskMe.

You have 26 chicks together, but she hasn't been home in a month? DTMFA. Call 311 to get help for you and the eggs, and take care of yourself, OK?

Also, have you read Gavin de Beaker's The Gift of Feather?
posted by vorfeed at 5:46 PM on January 18, 2011 [15 favorites]

No hussy has yet moved in on Pale Kid the rapper, who has yet to sire any chicks.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:49 PM on January 18, 2011

Aw, poor Lola. I've casually followed the story of Pale Male and Lola for years.

.
posted by Mavri at 5:55 PM on January 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

What to name the apparent feathered homewrecker? That's easy.

"Angelina."

Not to defend Angelina but the "Lola" in her story hasn't absented herself. She's still trying to get mileage out of playing the first scorned woman in Earth's history.

I wonder if he witnessed Lola's death, or if that would have any bearing on his decision to move on ?
It was as a result of a question he placed on AskMe.

You have 26 chicks together, but she hasn't been home in a month? DTMFA. Call 311 to get help for you and the eggs, and take care of yourself, OK?

Probably more like the result of a question Lola placed on AskMe.

Lola: My baby daddy has 19 kids with 3 other chicken heads, plus he's had 7 more with me. The guy is insatiable! And now some new feathered hussy is sniffing around. What should I do?

AskMe: Call a lawyer and DMTFA!

Pale Male: Too late.
posted by fuse theorem at 6:04 PM on January 18, 2011

Probably more like the result of a question Lola placed on AskMe.

I cannot believe you just said that. This sort of gender stereotyping is so demeaning to single-father raptors!

MeTa.
posted by vorfeed at 6:10 PM on January 18, 2011

The new name is obvious; it's the first few words from the post just under this one:
Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep

I await the T-shirt royalties.
posted by monkeymadness at 6:15 PM on January 18, 2011

I THINK I JUST FOUND MY BURLESQUE NAME.
posted by honeydew at 6:34 PM on January 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

Mrs. de Winter.

Last night, I dreamt I went to 927 Fifth Avenue again...
posted by Sidhedevil at 6:42 PM on January 18, 2011 [1 favorite]

Pale Male and Lola haven't had any chicks since 2004 (when their nest was taken down by the coop board and then replaced). I hope he's able to have some more with a new mate, but given that he's at least 21 years old - ancient for a wild raptor in an urban area - and has hatched 26 chicks, I think it's safe to say he's done his bit for the awesome-ing of the gene pool.

Those of you who live in cities - look up. You never know what you might see.
posted by rtha at 6:44 PM on January 18, 2011 [4 favorites]

There's a pair of hawks in the park next to my office building. Now and then we see them fly right past the window. It's pretty damn awesome.

But I can't believe no one's linked the hawk (falcon) -attacks-chihuahua story! That's the best NY raptor story ever!
posted by emjaybee at 6:48 PM on January 18, 2011

I saw a red-tailed hawk in a tree outside Union Station in Washington, DC this afternoon, in sight of the Capitol. There are red-tails in many urban areas in the US, not just in Central Park!
posted by gingerbeer at 6:51 PM on January 18, 2011

Oh my Lola, L-L-Lola
Bye-bye my Lola
Fly fly L-L-Lola
posted by chance at 7:03 PM on January 18, 2011

Lady Go Dive Ah!
posted by edgeways at 7:07 PM on January 18, 2011

There's no way that "Feathered Hussy" isn't this bird's new name.
posted by Navelgazer at 7:47 PM on January 18, 2011

That's the best NY raptor story ever!

Yeah, it's pretty great, although I feel bad for the dog and its owner. But worse for how it ended that Bryant Park anti-pigeon effort.

The other best NY raptor story ever has to be Hawk in a Chicken Joint.
posted by rtha at 8:39 PM on January 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

In unrelated news, three guys in their early 20s about to play their first gig just found their band's name.
posted by Tomorrowful at 8:58 PM on January 18, 2011 [2 favorites]

It seems pretty clear that she should be named Feathered Hussy.

Hey now, that's no way to talk about Farrah Fawcett.
posted by Sys Rq at 10:33 PM on January 18, 2011

Is there no respite for Richard Abneg?
posted by WPW at 11:52 PM on January 18, 2011

Those of you who live in cities - look up. You never know what you might see.
posted by rtha


We don't have to bother looking up in my city!
posted by orme at 5:50 AM on January 19, 2011 [1 favorite]