927 Fifth Avenue and Audubon Reach Agreement on Pale Male and Lola

New York, NY, Wednesday, December 15, 2004 - The Audubon Society and the 927 Fifth Avenue co-op board have reached an agreement to restore the pigeon spikes that held in place the nest of red-tailed hawk Pale Male and his mate Lola. The building intends to erect a guardrail around the 12th-floor window cornice, the original location of the nest, in order to stabilize the area and make it more secure.

The decision follows a meeting on Monday held by building management, park officials and members of the Audubon Society.

Audubon will cooperate with the building to ensure both the safety of the birds and the safety and cleanliness of the area surrounding the building through ongoing monitoring. Dan Ionescu Architects has been retained to work with the co-op board and the Audubon Society to consult on the design and construction of the guardrail around the spikes.

"We are pleased by the board's decision to engage an architect to help create a secure and stable environment that should enable the birds to return to their home of more than a decade," said National Audubon Society President John Flicker.

"This was a successful agreement that continues to convey the safety issues raised by the board, and the need for the birds to restore their nest and remain a part of the natural environment of the community. All parties were pleased with the outcome," stated 927 Fifth Avenue co-op board Chairman Richard Cohen.

"This is not only a great victory for Pale Male, but a victory for the spirit of New York," said David Miller, executive director of Audubon New York (the state program of the National Audubon Society). "We thank the building's board and residents for helping resolve this issue and look forward to working with them in the future so that Pale Male and the residents can coexist."

"New York City Audubon wants to thank Pale Male's friends for their dedicated support," said E.J. McAdams, executive director of the city's Audubon chapter. "We're all waiting for Pale Male and Lola to come home for the holidays."

Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Our national network of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences.