Hawks do eat other birds, and for some species, avian prey forms the majority of their diet. The term “hawk” is a general name applied to many diurnal birds of prey in the family Accipitridae. All hawks are carnivores that hunt live prey. Whether they specialize in hunting other birds is determined by the hawk’s physical structure and hunting style.
The Avian Prey Specialists
Hawks are broadly categorized into groups based on body shape and flight adaptations, which dictate their preferred prey. The group known as Accipiters, including the Sharp-shinned Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk, are the primary avian hunters. They are specialized for agility within dense habitats, featuring short, rounded wings and a long tail. This morphology allows for quick, tight turns and rapid acceleration through forest cover to capture fast-moving birds.
Accipiters are built for agility, enabling them to pursue prey into trees and thickets. Conversely, Buteos, such as the Red-tailed Hawk, are generalists adapted for soaring and hunting over open country. Buteos possess broad, rounded wings and shorter tails, which are perfect for riding thermal air currents to conserve energy and spot ground prey. Their diet consists mostly of small mammals, with birds being a less frequent, opportunistic catch.
Hunting Styles and Prey Selection
The physical differences between these groups lead to distinct hunting methods for capturing birds. Accipiters employ an ambush strategy, using dense vegetation as cover before launching a sudden, high-speed pursuit. They often target areas where smaller birds congregate, such as backyard feeders, relying on surprise to capture prey mid-flight or on a perch. Sharp-shinned Hawks primarily feed on sparrow-sized birds, though females occasionally take larger prey like Mourning Doves.
Buteos rarely engage in the complex aerial pursuit required to catch a healthy songbird. Their hunting is a sit-and-wait approach, scanning from a perch or soaring high before striking ground-dwelling animals. When Buteos take avian prey, it is usually opportunistic, targeting birds that are sick, injured, or very young nestlings. Prey size scales with the hawk’s body mass; the largest species, such as the Northern Goshawk or certain large Buteos, can successfully prey on substantial game birds like pheasants or crows.
Common Misconceptions and Defensive Behaviors
A frequent concern is the belief that hawks, particularly those near bird feeders, will decimate local songbird populations. This is a misconception; raptors generally cull the weakest or least vigilant individuals, which maintains the overall health and alertness of the prey population. Predation is a natural process that helps maintain ecological balance. Solitary birds or those preoccupied with feeding are statistically more likely to be captured than those in a group.
Smaller birds have evolved several defensive strategies to cope with predation pressure, the most notable of which is “mobbing.” Mobbing involves multiple small birds actively harassing, chasing, and dive-bombing a hawk to drive it away. Homeowners seeking to reduce predation near feeders can make simple adjustments. These include placing feeders close to dense shrubbery for quick escape routes, or spacing feeders out to reduce the concentration of potential prey.