Big Red Helps Chick Preen - May 7, 2018

973 views · Published 7 May 2018 · 0:49 · Indexed 25 September 2026

Channel: Cornell Lab Bird Cams · 2018 · Pets & Animals

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Preening is an important daily activity for birds to remove dirt and parasites from their feathers. These Red-Tailed Hawk chicks are old enough to preen themselves, but Big Red, like other brooding females, will typically help too. 

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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