Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Where is this nest and the camera?

This camera was installed when Red-tailed Hawks first nested on Cornell University's campus on one of the athletic field's light poles. Check out a video from when the camera was first installed!

What if I hear more than one type of vocalization?

Document it! You can select multiple types of vocalizations for each clip.

What if I can't tell who made the vocalization?

Sometimes it won't be obvious whether the adults or the nestlings are making the vocalization. When the nestlings vocalize, it can be very hard to hear, especially against a loud background of traffic. That's okay! Use the field guide and give it your best guess.

What if the vocalization doesn't fit any of the descriptions?

Make sure to use the field guide to narrow it down. But if it still doesn't fit, then not to fear! Click "Other." If you want to talk to the community about it, click "Done & Talk" at the end of the classification.

Where did these descriptions come from?

These vocalization descriptions are based on what has been described by researchers who have studied hawks. Birds of North America is a great resource that summarizes what has been found and described for Red-tailed Hawks.

Due to great observations made by participants in the Beta phase, the descriptions for the nestling vocalizations have been updated! Even though the literature describes soft peeping, or "pipsee" being made by the nestlings, the community point out that the nestlings make at least two sounds: short peeps and high-pitched whistles.

Is that the hawks or other birds?

Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between the hawks and birds vocalizing nearby. To see some examples, head over to the "Notes" section of the Talk Forum and search for the tag "otherbirdsounds."

There is so much other noise!

We agree, there can be a lot of traffic or other "human" noises. This camera is located on Cornell University's campus, so the goings-on of campus are easily picked up by the camera.

What does "Adult changing prey location mean?"

We have included this as an option to include when an adult moves the prey from location in the nest to another without feeding it to nestlings or giving it to another adult. It's "redecorating" in a sense.

What does "Adult transferring prey to other adult?"

This is when an adult bring a prey item, like a squirrel, to the nest and waits for the other adult to take it. This seems to happen more before the nestlings hatch. Once the nestlings hatch, most prey brought to the nest gets fed to them.

Should I select "Adult feeding nestlings" even if I don't see food being given to the nestlings?

Sometimes the clip will be of an adult feeding the nestlings without food being exchanged. For example, the adult could have just given a nestling food and is grabbing a new piece. That can still be labeled "Adult feeding nestlings."

When do I select "Prey is visible but not interacted with as described above?" or "None of the above?"

Choose this option if you can see prey, but the hawks aren't doing anything that aligns with the described actions. Only select the "None of the above" if you can't see prey AND none of the described actions are taking place.

Other questions?

Great minds think alike! Check out our Red-tailed Hawks FAQ page to see if anyone else has asked the same question you have. If you can't find the answer, discuss the question with the community on the Talk forums.

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