The question of whether a hawk might eat an eagle arises because both birds are raptors belonging to the same biological family, Accipitridae. Both are apex predators equipped with sharp talons, hooked beaks, and exceptional eyesight for hunting. However, the vast differences in their physical capabilities and typical diets provide a clear answer: a hawk preying on an adult eagle is virtually unheard of in nature.
Size Difference and Predatory Hierarchy
The most significant factor determining the relationship between these birds is their size difference, which establishes a clear predatory hierarchy. Eagles are much larger, heavier, and possess greater overall strength than most hawk species. For instance, a Red-tailed Hawk might weigh up to four pounds with a wingspan of about four to five feet, while a Bald or Golden Eagle can weigh between six and fifteen pounds with a wingspan reaching seven feet or more.
This size disparity translates directly into strength and lethality, evident in their grip force. A Red-tailed Hawk’s talons may exert a grip strength of around 200 pounds per square inch (psi), but a large eagle’s grip can reach approximately 400 psi. This superior power allows eagles to subdue and carry much larger prey than hawks; some eagles can lift up to 20 pounds, while most hawks are limited to about four pounds. Because of this massive physical advantage, any direct confrontation usually results in the hawk retreating, making an adult eagle an impossible target.
Distinct Hunting Strategies and Diets
The feeding habits of hawks and eagles reinforce that they will not view each other as primary prey. Hawks, particularly those in the Buteo genus like the Red-tailed Hawk, are built for soaring over open landscapes to hunt smaller, terrestrial prey. Their typical diet consists of small mammals such as rabbits, rodents, and squirrels, along with reptiles and smaller birds. They often use a “perch-and-swoop” technique, waiting patiently from an elevated position before diving onto prey.
Eagles, meanwhile, are adapted to hunt much larger animals and possess a wider variety of specialized diets. Bald Eagles primarily consume fish, often snatching them from the water’s surface, and are also notable scavengers. Golden Eagles, in contrast, are powerful hunters of medium-sized mammals, including foxes and young deer, using their sheer size and speed to overpower targets. While both raptors share some common prey, the eagle’s ability to target large game means a healthy adult hawk falls far outside its usual hunting parameters.
Interactions: Nest Defense and Scavenging
While an adult hawk does not prey on an adult eagle, interactions between the species do occur, mostly involving territorial disputes, scavenging, or preying on the young. Eagles are known to be opportunistic and will sometimes prey upon smaller or younger hawks. This behavior often targets nestlings and eggs, with eagles occasionally raiding hawk nests to take vulnerable young, or even an injured or weakened adult hawk if food is scarce.
A common interaction involves food competition, where the larger, more powerful eagle will aggressively displace a hawk from carrion or a recent kill, a behavior known as kleptoparasitism. These encounters are nearly always one-sided, with the hawk avoiding or being chased away by the dominant eagle. The underlying dynamic is one of a potential predator-prey relationship for the young or compromised hawk, but primarily one of avoidance and competition between healthy adults.