Watch A Rough-legged Hawk Mom Feed Her Chicks in Alaska

July 2, 2025
Watch as a pair of Rough-legged Hawks work together to raise their chicks in this excerpt from our documentary on the raptors of the Colville River Special Area, Alaska.

Cornell Lab cinematographer Gerrit Vyn takes you up onto a steep cliffside for intimate views of the mom tending her growing chicks during long days in the Arctic summer. It’s just one of the special moments Gerrit’s team filmed during three weeks rafting down the Colville River.
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From Cornell Lab | All About Birds

Show Transcript
[Gerrit voiceover]: Rough-legged Hawks primarily spend the winter across southern Canada and the northern United States, and many return here each year to breed.
When raptor chicks are this young, they’re at their most vulnerable. And this female Rough-legged Hawk spends most of her time taking care of the nest and the chicks, while the male hunts the tundra for voles and lemmings.

She tries to chase off the biting flies and other insects. She cleans and refurbishes the nest.

When it’s hot, she shields her chicks from the sun. When it’s cold and raining, she hunkers down to keep them warm, and she preens them and interacts with them.

She also spends a lot of time waiting, looking skyward and calling for her mate to bring her food. These hawks are off to a great start this year. But it’ll take a lot to raise all of these chicks to fledging age.

End of Transcript