Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City

By: Janet Schulman

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Copyright: 2008

Genre: Nonfiction

Summary: This book tells the true story of Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk who has been living in New York City and hunting in Central Park since 1991. He has outlived several mates, raised at least 23 chicks, survived forced evictions, and has had books and newspaper articles written about him.

Booktalk: Raise your hand if you have ever seen a red-tailed hawk. If you have, you know that they are beautiful birds of prey who live mostly in wild areas away from buildings and people. But, in this book: Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City, you will learn the true story of a red-tail hawk who decided New York City, of all places, would be a great place to live. If you’ve ever been to New York City, you know it is home to lots and lots of people and has many, many tall, concrete, steel, and glass buildings. In the middle of the city, however, is Central Park, which is home to a lot of trees and to a lot of small animals. Pale Male decided it was a great place to hunt. Read this book to find out how Pale Male found a mate and how their chicks learned to fly from tall buildings. You will also learn that not every New Yorker thought it was great to have red-tail hawks living in the city and what they did to make them go away. Did they succeed? Read this amazing true story to find out.

Author’s Biographical Sketch: Janet Schulman is a renowned editor and publisher of children’s books. She lives in New York City. http://www.jacketflap.com/persondetail.asp?person=70274

Challenging Words (pronunciation, spelling, definition): aerial evicted unison substantial undaunted violation ferocity perseverance harassed ecstatic disoriented celebrity Audubon Society fledgling ornate novice cornice renovate progressed commentator

nominated wary irked teeming relentless legacy publicity

Discussion Questions:

1. What can you do to help birds in your neighborhood?

2. Do you think Pale Male and his family should be allowed to nest on the building? Why or why not?

3. How would this story be different if Pale Male was a different kind of bird, such as a vulture or a bald eagle?

4. If you lived in the apartment building, how would you feel about Pale Male living there? Why?

5. Do you think we need laws such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918? Why or why not?

6. What would it do to the food chain in Central Park if there were suddenly as many red-tailed hawks as pigeons? Start by drawing an example of a food chain you might see in a city park.

Activities: English/Language Arts:

1. Write a letter to the residents of 927 Fifth Avenue to persuade them to allow Pale Male and his mate to nest on their building.

Indiana Academic Standards: English/Language Arts 4.5.6 Write for different purposes (information, persuasion, description) and to a specific audience or person.

5.5.4 Write persuasive letters or compositions that: • state a clear position in support of a proposal. • support a position with relevant evidence and effective emotional appeals. • follow a simple organizational pattern, with the most appealing statements first and the least powerful ones last. • address reader concerns 5.5.6 Write for different purposes (information, persuasion, description) and to a specific audience or person, adjusting tone and style as appropriate.

6.5.5 Write persuasive compositions that:

• state a clear position on a proposition or proposal. • support the position with organized and relevant evidence and effective emotional appeals. • anticipate and address reader concerns and counterarguments.

6.5.7 Write for different purposes (information, persuasion, description) and to a specific audience or person, adjusting tone and style as necessary.

Science:

1. Look at Pale Male’s photos on this site: http://www.palemale.com/ . What adaptations does he have for survival? Make a list and explain each entry. Think about how he would catch his prey, how he would stay warm, and how he might hide.

Indiana Academic Standards: Science 5.4.4 Explain that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some do not survive as well, and some cannot survive at all.

5.4.7 Explain that living things, such as plants and animals, differ in their characteristics, and that sometimes these differences can give members of these groups (plants and animals) an advantage in surviving and reproducing.

6.4.3 Describe some of the great variety of body plans and internal structures animals and plants have that contribute to their being able to make or find food and reproduce.

Lifeskills: Effort Perseverance Resourcefulness

Related Internet Sites: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-tailed_hawk/id http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/red-tailed-hawk.html http://www.sialis.org/mbta.htm (Migratory Bird Treaty Act) http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=97803758455 81&view=tg (Teacher’s Guide)