SNHU's Red-tailed Hawks

dc.contributor.advisorYork, Katharine
dc.contributor.authorNaska, Makenzie
dc.contributor.authorMorse, Jonathan
dc.contributor.authorSalyards, Emily
dc.date.accessioned2024-04-10T05:38:54Z
dc.date.available2024-04-10T05:38:54Z
dc.date.issued2024-04-03
dc.description.abstractDuring our first year at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), in fall 2021, we noticed two Red-tailed hawks on campus that we named Hank and Katy. Throughout the school year, we observed frequent changes to the school environment, like trees that were cut down. The loss of forested areas caused us to worry about the safety of the hawks. We questioned the hawks’ roles on campus and wanted to learn more. Our curiosity led us to initiate this research to educate other students and conserve the hawks’ presence on campus. After about a year, the hawk pair bred and hatched a chick we named Finn. The introduction of a juvenile to the hawk family carried our data along into the 2nd year of research. The guiding questions of our research were (1) How does the family of Red-tailed hawks interact with the SNHU campus and community? and (2) In what area of the campus are the hawks nesting? We used a campus survey, social media, observations, and drone deployment to collect data. We found there was a mutualistic relationship between the campus and the hawks. The campus provided a habitat for the hawks while the hawks controlled animal populations through hunting. We also found that the SNHU community was knowledgeable about the hawks' presence, as shown by their involvement in the survey and social media. We did not locate an exact nesting site. However, we believe that the southern forested area of campus is the most likely location due to the protective habitat provided by the trees. We aim to continue our research through next year by engaging with the community and creating an informative plaque to display our research.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10474/3830
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherSouthern New Hampshire University
dc.relation.requiresAdobe Acrobat Reader
dc.rightsAuthor retains all ownership rights. Further reproduction in violation of copyright is prohibited.
dc.rightsHolderNaska, Makenzie
dc.subject.lcshHabitat Conservation
dc.subject.lcshBird Surveys
dc.subject.lcshHabitat
dc.subject.otherRed-Tailed Hawks
dc.subject.otherCampus Expansion
dc.subject.otherEnvironment
dc.titleSNHU's Red-tailed Hawks
dc.typeThesis

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Naska_Makenzie_Thesis_UGRD_2024.pdf
Size:
1.26 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description: