New York's birds of prey are at risk, but you can help

By Evan Dawson,

Megan Mack, Julie Williams

Published April 8, 2025 at 3:31 PM EDT

Three people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman at left has long brown hair and is wearing a black turtleneck with white stripes; a woman at center has long grey hair in a ponytail and is wearing glasses and a blue fleece; a man at right has short dark hair and is wearing a light blue and white plaid blazer, blue button-down shirt, jeans and brown shoes.

1 of 2 — Veronica Volk and June Summers on "Connections"

Veronica Volk and June Summers on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Tuesday, April 8, 2025

David Griffin / WXXI News

A woman with long grey hair in a ponytail is wearing a mask and a grey fleece zip-up jacket while standing outside holding a large bird.

2 of 2 — Amy Mahar.png

Amy Mahar

Provided

A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.

Bald eagles and peregrine falcons in New York State are in danger. As reported by WXXI's Veronica Volk, both species were pushed to the brink of extinction by habitat loss and the pesticide DDT.

Thanks to conservation efforts in recent years, their populations have grown, but eagles and falcons are still at risk.

Some of the birds could be in your own backyard. This hour, our guests help us understand the threats facing local birds of prey and how humans are helping or hindering their survival.

Our guests:

Veronica Volk, senior producer and editor for WXXI News
Amy Mahar, biologist in the Bureau of Wildlife for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
June Summers, president of the Genesee Valley Audubon Society