Cornell Hawks Kick Off 2023 Breeding Season!

The wait is over! As Big Red turns an amazing 20 years old, the matriarch of the Cornell University Red-tailed Hawk nest is still going strong. Big Red laid her first egg of the year on March 30, at 1:22 P.M. Eastern time, marking the start of her 12th season on cam. Watch her reveal the brown-speckled egg for the first time. The second egg was laid on April 2, and we expect at least one more in the coming days. Be there when it happens—watch live.

Better Late Than Never: March 30 marks the hawks’ latest start to the nesting season since the cam launched in 2012, surpassing the 2015 season when the first egg arrived on March 28. Check out the Red-tailed Hawk Cam Timeline to review historical records from past breeding seasons.

Matriarch Milestone: Let’s wish Big Red a happy 20th birthday! Historical banding records indicate that she was banded in nearby Brooktondale, New York, during her first autumn in 2003. Big Red has flourished during her tenure on Bird Cams, laying 31 eggs from 2012–2022 and raising 30 chicks to fledging.

We are overjoyed to share yet another breeding season with this magnificent mama, her mate Arthur, and the Cornell Hawks Cam community. Let’s all give a cheer to her continued success!