Cornell University's resident raptor family did it again! Big Red and Arther raised another generation of Red-tailed Hawks this past spring. Enjoy some of this year's top moments from the Cornell Hawks cam and learn how these birds of prey work together to raise their fuzzy little fluffballs into fierce hunters.
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Each year, Cornell University's
resident Red-tailed Hawks
return to their nest site to
prepare for spring's arrival. On a windy afternoon in late March, Big Red
revealed her first egg of the breeding season. Within a week, the hawks had a clutch of three.
Big Red's primary job was to keep her eggs
protected and warm during incubation. Her mate Arthur helped out when she needed a break.
After 37 days in the egg, the first chick (named K1) hatched. One by one, the younger nestlings joined their
sibling in the nest bowl over the following days. With three hungry mouths to feed,
the parents shifted all their attention
to providing for their new family.
Week by week, K1, K2, and K3 grew larger,
and they gained strength and mobility in the nest. Arthur's daily prey offerings fueled
his nestlings' large appetites.
While her mate was out hunting, Big Red
tended to the parental duties at the nest. The hawks defended their nest site fiercely. And they were quick to chase intruders away from their territory.
In June, the nestlings' brown and rufous
juvenile feathers began to surface. A few weeks later, they were flirting with the edge of
the nesting platform in preparation for their first flights.
K1 was the first to fledge with a straight-line
flight into the trees near the nest on June 23. K2 was removed and treated for a serious injury
sustained in the nest. Sadly, the chick did not survive. K3 overshot its intended target across the road but safely
fluttered to the ground and began its exploration of campus.
The fledglings returned to visit their natal site
many times before finally bidding farewell. They spent the next several weeks learning to fly and
hunt around campus under the care of Big Red and Arthur. K1 and K3 will eventually disperse from the area in search
of their own territories. Good luck out there, young ones!
Watch live at allaboutbirds.org/cornellhawks
A Red-tailed Hawk pair has been nesting above Cornell University’s athletic fields since at least the 2012, making use of two different light towers for their nest sites. In 2012 and 2015, they used a tower near Fernow Hall, and in 2013, 2014, and 2016, they used the tower nearest Weill Hall. We installed cameras at both of these sites to get a better look at the intimate behavior of these well-known birds as they raise their young amid the bustle of a busy campus.
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11 сен 2024
