Cornell Raptor Program

What we do

CRP provides a permanent home for non-releasable birds of prey. Most of our birds were originally wild animals who sustained an injury that left them unable to survive in the wild.

How to join

CRP is open to all undergraduate students at Cornell. New students are accepted at the beginning of each fall semester. Keep watch on the CRP Facebook page to see when interest meetings will be held.

There is no fee to join the raptor program!

Weekly work days are held at the barns where students have the chance to handle and care for the birds. Workdays are typically 2-3 hours on the weekends; due to COVID-19, workday groups are currently spaced out over Saturday and Sunday.

We also hold occasional program activities such as educational guest speeches, pumpkin picking and carving in the fall, and visits to Hawk Mountain.

Father and daughter look at bird of prey during festival

CRP student hold raptor during vet check

Public Education: we offer various education programs to schools, nature centers, and more. Trained student presenters give presentations on the biology and natural history of birds of prey.

Student Engagement: Through CRP, students assist with routine health care and feeding of the raptors, clean and maintain aviaries, and learn proper handling of raptors.

Research: CRP works with researchers at the Wildlife Health Center, the Lab of Ornithology, and the Cornell Vet School to carry out research endeavors focusing on birds of prey.

Rehabilitation: students participate in rehabilitation efforts including emergency first aid, retrieval of injured birds from the wild, and flight therapy for potentially releasable birds of prey.