Cornell University announced that a red-tailed hawk known as Big Red has continued to nest atop the lights of Robison Alumni Fields on central campus during construction of the new Meinig Fieldhouse. The bird has been a familiar presence on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Bird Cams for more than a decade.

Before work began on the Meinig Fieldhouse in 2024, Cornell staff expressed concern that the hawk might not return after construction started. Charles Eldermire, a multimedia producer with the Lab of Ornithology, said that the team prioritized keeping the existing nesting site and continuing the live stream.

In the following year, Cornell Facilities staff, construction workers, and ornithologists worked together to minimize disruptions for the hawk and her fledglings. Their efforts included taking measures to protect the birds from collisions with the building’s windows. During construction, the hawks were observed perching on cranes and fluttering around steel beams. Workers at the site decorated their hard hats with Big Red stickers and even created a temporary birdbath.

Jake Duell, construction manager for Cornell Facilities, noted that while the construction crew is used to a tough work environment, they showed a softer side when it came to caring for the hawks.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Ithaca, NY

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