Baby hawk hatches under TxDOT camera

May 7, 2024

By Tony Hartzel

IRVING – It’s a baby!

Mama red-tailed hawk Rochelle recently hatched her first offspring, known as an eyas, in her nest high above traffic on State Highway 114.

Rochelle has returned to the same nesting spot on a TxDOT traffic camera pole since 2011.  Each year, she lays several eggs, and has raised about 20 babies since her first visit.

Rochelle – named for the camera located at the intersection of Rochelle Drive and State Highway 114 – laid two eggs in the spring of 2024. One hatched in late April and the other egg hatched a few days later, but sadly the second young hawk did not survive.

TxDOT still uses the camera as needed for traffic monitoring, but watching Rochelle and her babies is a pleasant diversion. We consider her part of the TxDOT family.