Sharp-shinned Hawk by Jessie Salinas

Listen to the bird in this mural!

Painted: June 29, 2025

About the Mural: In this mural by artist Jessie Salinas, a Sharp-shinned Hawk soars across the side of a shed, clutching a sprig of native White Yarrow. As part of the Audubon Mural Project—a public-art initiative drawing attention to birds that are vulnerable to extinction from climate change—NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program and NYC Parks GreenThumb worked with the National Audubon Society, Gitler &_____ Gallery, and local artists to design murals in community gardens across the city. Through a collaborative process between the partners, artist, and garden group, each mural was designed to feature climate-threatened birds as well as native plants that birds depend on for food and shelter. By creating vibrant urban green spaces, community gardeners provide essential support for birds and people. Explore more murals from the collaboration here.

This mural was created with South Jamaica Infinity Garden, a community green space in Southeast Queens. The garden, which started as a vacant lot, has now grown into a vibrant hub for neighbors to gather and learn, shares garden leader Jaclyn Soto. In addition to growing fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, the garden hosts a wide range of programs, from wellness workshops to composting to children’s reading events. “It’s more than just a garden,” says Soto. “It’s a living classroom, a resource for families, and a place where community can flourish.” Soto hopes the new mural can remind visitors of the deep connections between the community and the local ecology: “More than anything, we want people to feel inspired to care for both nature and each other.”

About the Bird: The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a tiny and acrobatic raptor, swooping dramatically through woods or even near feeders to prey on songbirds and mice. Though elusive during nesting season, these birds are a common sight at hawkwatches during their migration. They’re the smallest hawks in the United States and Canada, with blue-gray backs and brownish-orange barring on their chests. 

Their populations, formerly devastated by DDT, bounced back after the pesticide was banned—but seem to have taken a downturn once more. Climate change poses further threats: The species is predicted to lose more than half of its summer range if warming continues at its current pace, according to Audubon’s Survival By Degrees report. Taking action to limit warming can help make sure Sharp-shinned Hawks can thrive across a wider spread of habitats. Meanwhile, maintaining pockets of green space like community gardens—and populating them with native plants—can help offer essential spaces for the birds to rest and refuel.

Artist Jessie Salinas says he chose the species for the mural to honor the Lenape people, the original inhabitants of the land where the garden now sits. “I selected the Sharp-shinned Hawk because, within Lenape culture, hawks were revered as messengers from the spirit world, carrying guidance from ancestors,” he says. The artist paired the bird with native yarrow, which grows in the community garden and which was used by the Lenape for protection ceremonies.

About the Artist: Jessie Salinas is a New York-based artist who focuses on our daily experiences by highlighting perspectives that transform the ordinary into the mystical. Referencing photography, mindfulness, and pop culture, his presentation of art is highly intentional to provide moments for viewers to feel united through shared experiences. He spends much of his time cultivating community through travel-based drawing groups like Artists of The Met and collaborative group painting experiences through his company ParaHue, both of which prioritize group discussions about the insights from artmaking.

Through this garden mural, Salinas says he hoped to raise awareness of local nature and represent the surrounding community of South Jamaica. After noticing the range of different churches in the neighborhood, he chose to incorporate light as a symbol of spirituality, creating a background that mimics the blurred pops of light from the photographic phenomenon of bokeh. He also surrounded his hawk in a blue outline, referencing the blue glasses frames worn by Jaclyn’s mother, Iris, the “matriarch” of the garden. “Together, these elements honor the land's historical roots and celebrate the present-day community of South Jamaica’s Infinity Garden,” Salinas says.