There is nothing more incredible than seeing a live bird of prey opening its wings just feet away from you. It was truly a privilege to see these animals up close, and hear about them from dedicated students that answered questions about everything from their diets to the evolutionary logic behind their sharp talons and intricate  markings. For me, one of the birds stood out; Ellie, a red-tailed hawk. She had suffered wing injuries, making her unable to survive in the wild; for birds living in the wild, the ability to soar is necessary to hunt. Ellie was fantastic, with rich reddish-brown feathers and large wings that fluttered throughout the presentation. What I found most interesting about her and her fellow red-tailed relatives was how adaptable they are. I learned that some are so adaptable, in fact, that they have chosen to live in New York City, nesting in high rises and preying on “juicy” rats and pigeons below. I never could have dreamed that something I had deemed to be so wild and unreachable could thrive in one of the most densely populated cities in North America. Still, for as show-stopping and awe inspiring as Ellie was, the students handling her were equally impressive. The students were incredibly knowledgable, and truly wonderful to listen to. They gave in-depth presentations about each of the birds, and spoke to particular physical characteristics of each species; I learned that the vision of a falcon is 8x better than that of the best human’s vision (in addition to many other things)! More than anything, this lovely event proved once again how fantastic Cornell students are in their vast array of knowledge and interests.