The Franklin Institute was lucky enough to have a pair of Red-tailed Hawks take up residence in a webcam-friendly spot.

I think they might be reading the Philadelphia Metro, judging by the current view. More bad news for the Inquirer, I fear. They could be losing the bird of prey demographic, who are probably looking for a just a quick peck at the news. red-tailed

Two Red-tailed Hawks have built a nest on a window ledge at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. The nest sits just outside a window where a camera has been positioned to create this video stream. The camera looks through the glass window pane which is 24 inches wide (~61 cm). No artificial lighting has been added, so the nest is only visible during daylight hours.

I believe they’re monogamous, so there might be some hawk chicks in the near future. Or they could just be roommates and we’ll have to see about emerging sexual tensions later on in the season. Worth keeping an eye on, I’m sure.

The Red-tailed Hawk (aka chickenhawk, I think) is becoming a common sight around here. A few years back you’d only see these guys on occasion, but out here in the inner burbs, they’ve become a regular sight. (We caught them fishing in my neighbor’s goldfish pond last summer.) Now you can’t drive down an interstate without seeing one on a lightpost.

Cornell’s Ornithology Lab has a good site for bird browsing, in general. Here’s their Red-tailed Hawk entry.