Hawk's nest removed from ASU construction site

Two days before Easter, wildlife expert Bob Fox searched for eggs in an unlikely place – an ASU construction site.

Fox removed three eggs from a red-tailed hawk’s nest Friday morning, surrounded by news crews and ASU officials.

“The eggs were in danger of being destroyed,” said Pedro Chavarriaga, a project manager in ASU Facilities Development and Management. “We really wanted to keep them safe.”

The nest was perched on an outside window ledge of the ninth floor of Manzanita Hall. ASU employees had known about the nest for years, and had assumed that when the massive renovation project started in the 15-story building in May 2011, the birds would find a more peaceful place to nest.

Yet when the time came to demolish the exterior wall directly opposite the nest, construction workers noticed the nest wasn’t empty. ASU contacted officials at Arizona Fish and Wildlife, who put them in touch with Fox, director of local bird rescue Wild at Heart.

Fox removed the eggs and placed them in an incubator until they reached Wild at Heart. Once there, the eggs would be put underneath a surrogate hawk.

“We hope the hawks decide to stay,” Chavarriaga said, even after their eggs and nest were moved. “They have been at Manzy for some time.”

Fox said he hopes the mother bird will lay more eggs once the nest is placed in a nearby building.

Renovations to Manzanita Residence Hall are scheduled to be complete before the fall 2013 semester.