The subterranean life of a mole offers significant protection from most predators. However, various raptors have adapted to exploit the moments when this small mammal ventures near the surface. Hawks and other birds of prey include moles in their diet, a relationship that hinges entirely on the predator’s ability to detect and strike the prey through a layer of soil. Understanding this dynamic requires examining the specific hawk species involved, the mole behaviors that create vulnerability, and the specialized hunting techniques employed.
Hawk Species That Target Moles
Larger, more generalist raptors, such as the Red-tailed Hawk, are known to be opportunistic predators of moles. These powerful birds primarily hunt from high perches, scanning open fields for any movement that suggests the presence of a small mammal. This includes the subtle push of soil from a mole tunneling just beneath the sod.
Smaller, more agile raptors often exhibit a more specialized approach to mole predation. The American Kestrel, the smallest falcon in North America, includes small rodents, shrews, and occasionally moles in its diet.
Similarly, the Northern Harrier is known for its low, coursing flight over open fields. This makes it well-suited to intercept a mole moving near the surface, as its size and flight style allow it to patrol active hunting grounds and respond quickly to localized movement.
Mole Behavior That Leads to Encounters
Moles create two types of tunnels: deep, permanent travel routes and shallower, temporary feeding runs. The shallow tunnels are constantly constructed as moles search for earthworms and insect larvae. These runs often raise the soil just enough to be visible to a keen-eyed predator overhead.
This surface tunneling represents a moment of high risk, particularly when the ground is soft and the mole’s movement is easily perceptible from above. Encounters also surge when young moles disperse from their natal territories to establish their own tunnel systems, typically during the spring and summer. This dispersal phase forces the inexperienced juveniles to travel above ground, making them highly vulnerable to any waiting raptor.
Environmental factors can also push moles into a dangerous zone of accessibility. Excessive rainfall can flood deep tunnels, forcing the animals to move to higher ground or closer to the surface to breathe. Conversely, severe drought can harden the soil, driving the moles to hunt in the remaining moist soil near the surface. These conditions create predictable opportunities for hunting hawks.
The Mechanics of the Hunt
The initial detection often comes from visual cues, as the raptor’s keen eyesight can spot the linear disturbance created by a mole pushing up a ridge of soil. This raised earth or the slightest vibration of the ground alerts the hawk to the mole’s exact path and speed beneath the surface. Once a target is identified, the hawk chooses the most effective strike method, which varies by species and habitat.
Red-tailed Hawks typically hunt from a stationary perch, conserving energy until they see movement, then launching into a steep, high-speed dive. This powerful stoop allows the bird to plunge its heavy-duty talons through the soil layer to strike the prey below.
The American Kestrel, lacking the Red-tail’s mass, often utilizes a hovering or kiting technique, maintaining a fixed position in the air by flapping its wings rapidly. This allows the kestrel to meticulously scan an area for subterranean movement before dropping straight down onto the mole’s trail. The final action involves the bird swinging its legs forward to deliver a decisive strike, utilizing the sharp talons to seize the mole and extract it from the soil.