Red-tailed Hawk Fledgling “O1” Dies Following Illness

On the weekend of August 2, local birders Cindy and Karel Sedlacek alerted staff at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to concerns about the Red-tailed Hawk Cam’s fledgling “O1” after the bird appeared lethargic and unwell. Upon consultation with Cornell veterinarian Dr. Rolfe Radcliffe, it was recommended that O1 be brought to the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital for treatment if a safe capture was possible.

On August 5, O1 was observed perching in a pine tree near Cornell University’s Barton Hall for over 24 hours, prompting a decision to attempt a rescue using a lift. That afternoon, a dedicated rescue team—including Dr. Radcliffe, the Sedlaceks, and staff from Cornell Facilities and Transportation—successfully retrieved O1 and transported the fledgling to the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital for evaluation by Cornell veterinarians. As of August 6, O1 remains in critical condition from an unknown cause or illness.

August 7 Update: We are sad to report that Red-tailed Hawk chick O1 died on August 7 after succumbing to an unknown cause or illness.  Despite O1’s rescue on August 5 and the intensive supportive care provided by Cornell veterinarians at the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital, the fledgling failed to respond to treatment. 

We are deeply grateful to the rescue team for their rapid response and commitment to O1’s welfare and to the veterinarians and staff at the Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital for their ongoing care for O1 and our local campus wildlife. Finally, we’d like to thank the cam community for their outpouring of support for O1. 

September 24 Update: A necropsy conducted by the Wildlife Hospital determined that the cause of O1’s death was from an acute West Nile Virus infection.

Several cases of West Nile Virus are confirmed each year in New York state during the summer months, and corvid and raptor species are some of the most susceptible to dying from the disease. Read more about West Nile Virus in this fact sheet from Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.