In a small, tight-knit community like Rye, it’s important to take care of one’s neighbors — especially when they’re celebrity great horned owls.
In the first week of February, trees along Stuyvesant Avenue near Halls Lane were tagged with orange ribbons, including one well-known tree that currently houses a nesting pair of great horned owls.
While it was unclear what those ribbons meant or who placed them, residents were immediately concerned they meant the trees might be cut down.
They leaped into action.
One resident quickly attached a note to the tree asking that it not be cut down because it “has been the home of owls for many years.”
As it turned out, the ribbons were placed by Con Edison, which had every intention of cutting down the tree, even though authorization to do so had previously been denied.
City Manager Brian Shea said he first learned of the potential threat to the tree Friday, when Rye resident Jackie Jenkins emailed to inform him of the orange tape.
Shea told The Record he quickly contacted his liaison at Con Edison to clarify that removal of the tree was not authorized.
Mayor Josh Nathan and city employees worked over the long weekend to protect the tree. By Saturday, the Rye Police Department had placed police tape and a sign on the tree declaring that “utilities must contact Rye PD prior to work in area.”
Shea said the tree being tagged for removal was “very concerning, which is why we mobilized so quickly.”
“We identified that tree for removal because of its proximity to our power lines, its poor condition, and our emphasis on reliable service,” said Allan Drury, a Con Edison media relations employee. “Due to concerns raised by the City of Rye, we no longer have plans to remove the tree.”
Great horned owls are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which prohibits destroying nests of migratory bird species occurring naturally in the United States when those nests are still essential for the survival of any eggs, chicks, or fledglings.
It is not clear whether the Stuyvesant Avenue owl pair, which has been frequently visible, has yet laid eggs this year, but the species generally lays eggs in mid-February to March. They have been observed with chicks in the nest in recent years.
Michael Hasselmo, a Rye resident whose family lives near the tree, was thrilled by the municipal response.
“It’s a perfect nest,” Hasselmo said. “It’s kind of an open hollow in the tree about 30 feet up, so it’s a perfect spot for them because it’s somewhat protected and it’s very sturdy.”
If the owls are successful parents, their chicks will hatch after about a month of incubation, and will remain in and around the tree for nine to 10 weeks.
Even then, though, locals may still have a chance to spot the young owls, because their parents will continue to feed them for up to several months.
It now appears likely the tree will remain standing, at the very least until the owl family is ready to leave the nest.
