Help name 4 peregrine falcon chicks that live on the Cuomo Bridge. Do you like Beakonce?
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
ABOVE THE TAPPAN ZEE - You can vote for your favorite name for four peregrine falcon chicks that hatched in a nest box atop the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
About 100 names have been offered by third- to sixth-graders across Rockland and Westchester counties. A panel of judges narrowed down the names to 10.
“The response by students was overwhelming," New York State Thruway spokesman Khurram Saeed said. "The imagination and creativity on display were simply amazing."
The naming contest is being held by the Thruway Authority in partnership with Veolia water company.
Hatching on Earth Day
Three eggs hatched on Earth Day, April 22, and the last falcon was born two days later on April 24.
Three of the four are females, the Thruway Authority reports.
The eyases (they will be fledglings when they learn how to take flight in the next couple weeks) are nesting in a falcon box constructed on the bridge's southeast spire, 400 feet above the Hudson.
You can peek in on the falcons 24/7 via New York State Thruway's "Falcon Cam" — newnybridge.com/peregrine-falcons. (The feed isn't edited, so remember, these are wild animals who may do wild-animal things.)
Top 10 names
Here are the names:
Amelia Birdelia
Beakonce
Brooklyn
Coco Puff
Empire
Estrella
Freedom
Jet
Millenium Falcon
Taylor Swoop
How to vote
Votes can be cast on the bridge’s website, mariomcuomobridge.ny.gov/explore-bridge-falcon-webcam, starting through 5 p.m., May 22.
The four winning names will be revealed on the Cuomo Bridge and Thruway Authority social media accounts on Thursday, May 23.
The winning schools will have the bridge lit in their school colors. Each winning class will get to meet with a certified falconer.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Tappan Zee Cuomo Bridge nesting falcon chicks need a name. How to vote
