"Over the next year, Cornell Facilities staff, construction workers and ornithologists collaborated closely to cause minimal disruption to Big Red and her fledglings, and to protect all birds from colliding with the building's windows. Along the way, the birds fluttered between steel beams and perched on cranes, charming workers at the site - just as they have inspired birdwatchers around the world."
"Initially, 12 aging light poles were slated to be destroyed as part of the project, which will provide indoor practice, competition and recreation space for students. But two of those poles had held Big Red's nest in the past, so Facilities worked with the Lab to give her a chance to stay. "We demoed most of them all down, leaving these two last winter, in the hope that the hawks would come back and nest in them," Duell said."
Big Red, a red-tailed hawk, has nested atop lights of Robison Alumni Fields for over a decade and faced uncertainty before 2024 Meinig Fieldhouse construction. Cornell Facilities, construction workers, and ornithologists collaborated to minimize disruption to Big Red and fledglings and to prevent window collisions. Construction crews preserved two light poles that previously held the nest and delayed demolitions while monitoring hawk behavior. Workers embraced the hawks, adding stickers to hard hats and creating a birdbath. At age 22, Big Red's continued nesting received special attention to balance construction needs with bird protection and live streaming.
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