Local citizen scientists needed to assist in Cornell study: Behavior and
distribution of over-wintering Red-tailed Hawks at Cornell’s Pheasant
Production Facility
The familiar and easy-to-identify Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) can
be found in abundance perched along highways, soaring above back yards and
hunting in urban parks throughout the year. Cornell senior Andrew
Schmalfuss Jr. is hoping to determine how a super-abundance of potential
prey may influence the behavior of raptors such as Red-tailed Hawks and
Turkey Vultures, overwintering at the Reynolds Game Farm in Ithaca, NY. The
only DEC operated pheasant production facility in New York State, the game
farm stocks 42,000 birds intended for educational purposes and outdoor
field sport promotion. A super-abundance of prey (pheasants and rodents)
for raptors living in and passing through the area has become an
unintentional side effect of rearing pheasants in an open pen-facility.
Schmalfuss is conducting this research as part of the interdisciplinary
studies program within the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Identification of individual birds by sight is necessary for tracking and
documenting behavior in the wild. Since the game farm provides an excellent
location for consistently finding and observing Red-tailed Hawks, the
facility is serving as the main field site for this study. Research
protocol includes the capture, banding and release of Red-tailed Hawks
currently using the game farm for finding prey and for roosting. Birds are
being fitted with one standard USGS aluminum band along with a blue, three
digit, alpha-numeric band easily identified using a pair of binoculars, a
spotting scope or telephoto lens. The objective of the study is to
determine possible dominance hierarchies (or a pecking orders) that result
from a super-abundance of prey.
Schmalfuss is seeking involvement from the local birding community,
especially “hawk-watchers!” Become a citizen scientist by sharing your
encounters with banded Red-tailed Hawks in the area of game farm, on campus
at Cornell or anywhere in the Ithaca area. Share photos, eBird lists,
behavior observations and any information that you may collect while
watching birds and hawks in and around the game farm; date, time, exact
location, and band numbers are extremely important details to record and
share. Information can be shared via email directly to Schmalfuss at:
abs...@cornell.edu. Happy birding and always remember to look up!
Contact:
Andrew Schmalfuss Jr.
Undergraduate Researcher
Cornell University '20
Interdisciplinary Studies
631-745-5727
abs...@cornell.edu
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