A documentary about Pale Male, a red tailed hawk, who lives on the side of a Fifth Avenue building.A documentary about Pale Male, a red tailed hawk, who lives on the side of a Fifth Avenue building.A documentary about Pale Male, a red tailed hawk, who lives on the side of a Fifth Avenue building.
- Awards
- 3 wins
Photos
Alexander Fisher
- Self
- (as Dr. Alexander Fisher)
Joanne Woodward
- Narrator
- (voice)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDocumentary shown through the PBS Nature (1982) TV series.
Featured review
It isn't about Norweigians.
I suspect few if any would glean anything from the title of this documentary movie, unless they were among the faithful few watching the main character mate repeatedly and raise his family. Those same faithful named him, "Pale Male", this Red-tailed Hawk that took up residence in Manhattan, lighter in color than other hawks of that type, and the first known to inhabit this city.
Just short of an hour, this film begins in 1991 when the hawk first shows up, perching on high railings of exclusive apartment buildings across the street from the 800+ acre Central Park. Feasting on the abundance of mice, rats, and pigeons. Then a female shows up, they mate, repeatedly. With binoculars and long lens cameras, the cadre of watchers grows with each change of seasons. But disappointment sets in. Each year no baby birds. Then, without explanation, 3 babies show up. Within weeks they are exercising their wings, testing their ability to hover, then finally flying uneasily and clumsily across the street to hang upside down from a handy branch. Until dad takes them up and teaches them the finer points of flying and diving.
Over the years the Pale Male had survived 3 mates, was with his 4th, and had raised double-digits of young Red-tail Hawks. The film is so good because of how we watching, and the New Yorkers participating in the vigils, connect with this miracle of Nature. It brings strangers together to make new friends. We learn from the birds, just because it hasn't been done before doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.
On DVD from my public library.
Just short of an hour, this film begins in 1991 when the hawk first shows up, perching on high railings of exclusive apartment buildings across the street from the 800+ acre Central Park. Feasting on the abundance of mice, rats, and pigeons. Then a female shows up, they mate, repeatedly. With binoculars and long lens cameras, the cadre of watchers grows with each change of seasons. But disappointment sets in. Each year no baby birds. Then, without explanation, 3 babies show up. Within weeks they are exercising their wings, testing their ability to hover, then finally flying uneasily and clumsily across the street to hang upside down from a handy branch. Until dad takes them up and teaches them the finer points of flying and diving.
Over the years the Pale Male had survived 3 mates, was with his 4th, and had raised double-digits of young Red-tail Hawks. The film is so good because of how we watching, and the New Yorkers participating in the vigils, connect with this miracle of Nature. It brings strangers together to make new friends. We learn from the birds, just because it hasn't been done before doesn't mean it shouldn't be done.
On DVD from my public library.
helpful•51
- TxMike
- Dec 9, 2005
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- Pale Male - Ein Bussard in New York
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime54 minutes
- Color
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