VIDEO: Watch a New York Hawk Take Its Very First Flight

Another impressive bird in New York has taken a leap of faith and flew for the very first time.

As spring fades into summer, millions of baby birds across the country are leaving their nests. From house finches to peregrine falcons and everything in between, our feathered friends have hatched, grown, and taken flight all in a matter of weeks. It's not every day, however, that you see the moment that they take flight.

Hawks and Falcons in New York State

Recently in the Hudson Valley, all eyes have been on peregrine falcons that were growing up underneath nearly every Hudson River bridge. On the Mid-Hudson Bridge, four fluffy eyases (the technical term for falcon chicks) hatched in April. While their nest is now empty, a different type of predator is taking flight for the first time in central New York.

Red-Tail Hawk Chicks at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY

At Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, the same red-tail hawk pair has been making baby hawks for more than a decade. Luckily, the university set up a live-stream camera on YouTube to watch the baby falcons (above), and yesterday, they caught something magical.

Red-Tail Hawk Takes Flight for the First Time

"Fledge alert! After a morning of restless wing-stretching, flapping, and considering the edge, Red-tailed Hawk chick N2 looked out across Tower Road and made a confident leap, fledging over Cornell University's main campus" (video above), said a post from Cornell Lab's Bird Cam Facebook page.

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About New York's Red-Tail Hawks

Red-tail hawks are the most common New York hawk, and can be found across the state, including nests in all five boroughs of New York City. They can grow to nearly two feet long and can have a wingspan measuring up to 56 inches. Check out some more epic hawks (and eagles) in New York below.