The question of whether hawks “mate for life” does not have a simple yes or no answer, as the practice varies significantly across the many species of raptors known as hawks. These birds of prey form pair bonds to successfully raise their young, but the duration of that bond is not uniform throughout the hawk family. The concept of a lifelong partnership typically refers to social monogamy, where a pair cooperates exclusively in raising offspring for a season or longer, rather than strictly genetic monogamy.
Defining Hawk Pair Bonds
Many well-known hawk species, such as the Red-tailed Hawk and the Northern Goshawk, exhibit long-term or perennial social monogamy, often pairing for multiple consecutive years or until one mate dies. For example, Red-tailed Hawks in non-migratory populations are known to maintain their pair bond year-round, remaining in the same territory for many seasons. This arrangement provides a distinct advantage, as an established pair can begin nesting earlier and more efficiently than newly formed pairs.
Other species, including many migratory hawks, practice seasonal monogamy, forming a pair bond only for the duration of a single breeding season. Sharp-shinned Hawks, for instance, often breed with one partner for the spring and summer before separating, with little guarantee of reuniting the following year. The pair bond is defined by a commitment to co-parenting, where both the male and female share the duties of incubation, feeding, and protecting their altricial young. This social contract, whether long-term or seasonal, is a successful evolutionary strategy for raising young raptors, who require extensive parental care.
How Pair Bonds Are Maintained
For long-term pairings, the bond is actively reinforced through a series of specific behaviors, especially as the new breeding season approaches. Courtship rituals are a primary mechanism for re-establishing and strengthening the partnership, often involving spectacular aerial displays. The male Red-tailed Hawk, for example, performs a dramatic “sky-dance,” soaring high and then diving in a rapid spiral before pulling up to meet the female.
Aerial displays sometimes involve mutual soaring in wide circles, or one bird occasionally diving toward the other. A more intense display for some species involves the pair locking talons mid-air and spiraling downward together, a maneuver broken only just above the ground. The pair also engages in mutual preening and food exchange, with the male often bringing prey to the female as a courtship offering.
The commitment to a shared territory also reinforces the pair bond throughout the year. The pair jointly defends a fixed territory against intruders. This joint defense of their home range, often advertised through loud calls and soaring flights, ensures the availability of nesting sites and reliable food resources. The continued use and refurbishment of the same nest structure, which can be used for several years by species like the Northern Goshawk, further cements the pair’s attachment to the territory and to each other.
When Bonds Are Broken
Even for species that are considered to “mate for life,” the pair bond is not unbreakable and can dissolve under several circumstances. The most common reason for a pair bond to end is the death of one of the partners, which is a frequent occurrence in the wild. The surviving hawk will typically seek a new mate quickly, often within the same breeding season, to continue reproducing.
For migratory species, a bond may be broken if one partner fails to return to the shared nesting territory after the winter migration, as hawks exhibit strong site fidelity. Repeated breeding failure, such as several years of eggs not hatching or young not surviving, can also lead the pair to abandon the bond. In these cases, the individuals may seek new partners the following season to improve their reproductive success.