Citizen Science Program - What We Do. Citizen-Science Projects We offer an array of projects that engage thousands of people in recording bird observations—whether in backyards, city streets, or remote forests—to help researchers better understand birds and their responses to environmental change. Project FeederWatch Maria Corcacas/PFW Each year, 15,000 people count birds at their feeders for Project FeederWatch.
With more than 1.5 million checklists submitted since 1987, FeederWatchers have contributed valuable data enabling scientists to monitor changes in the distribution and abundance of birds. Using FeederWatch data, scientists have studied the influence of nonnative species on native bird communities, examined the association between birds and habitats, and tracked unpredictable movements in winter bird populations. Participants gain from the rewarding experience of watching birds at their feeders and contributing their own observations to reveal larger patterns in bird populations across the continent.
Learn more Research. Living Bird home, All About Birds. Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Great Blue Heron Camera 2 at the Cornell Lab. Great Blue Heron Nest at the Cornell Lab. Live! Red-tailed Hawk Nest at Cornell University. Tree Nest Placement Red-tailed Hawks typically put their nests in the crowns of tall trees where they have a commanding view of the landscape. They may also nest on a cliff ledge or on artificial structures such as window ledges and billboard platforms. Nest Description Both members build the nest, or simply refurbish one of the nests they’ve used in previous years.
Nests are tall piles of dry sticks up to 6.5 feet high and 3 feet across. Clutch Size 1-5 eggs Incubation Period 28-35 days Nestling Period 42-46 days Egg Description White or buffy, blotched or speckled with buff, brown, or purple. Condition at Hatching Tiny and helpless, unable to raise head, and weighing about 2 ounces. Small Animals Food Mammals make up the bulk of most Red-tailed Hawk meals. Adults make a hoarse, screaming kee-eeeee-arr. See full Species Info at All About Birds About the Nest A Red-tailed Hawk pair has been nesting above Cornell University’s athletic fields for at least the past four years. Big Red and Her Mate.