Hawks are among the most common raptors, but what exactly do they eat? The answer is as varied as the hawks themselves. Hawks eat a variety of things, the details depending on their species. Their diet varies from insects to songbirds and small mammals.
Hawks Eat Foods
What do red-backed hawks eat?
In the east, peregrine falcons live in forests, cities, and suburbs. They hunt rodents, frogs, grasshoppers, locusts, and other small prey. Young red-backed hawks, still learning to hunt, sometimes eat earthworms. They are easy to catch.
What do ruffed hawks eat?
The rough falcon is the buteo of most people in the winter. These raptors breed along reefs in the High Arctic. They winter throughout the U.S., except for parts of the Southeast and southern Canada. Visit one of the key falcon migration hotspots to see them. You can often see them before they pounce on unsuspecting rodents, a favorite meal.
What do Cooper’s hawks eat?
Cooper’s hawks may be a frequent sight at backyard feeders in the U.S. They don’t eat the seed buffet. They follow the birds to the feeders. This species is an agile and medium-sized bird. It specializes in catching small birds in mid-flight after an unexpected ambush. Red-eyed adults are blue-gray on the back. They have red bands on the chest and belly. Yellow-eyed juveniles exhibit broad stripes.
Hawks Attack Songbirds
How to protect songbirds from hawks.
“After a hawk appeared, my feeders had fewer bird visitors. What should I do?” asks Tony Vance of York Haven, Pennsylvania. It’s unsettling to think that your songs are prey. But, remember that hawks, like Cooper’s, are trying to survive. Falcons are beautiful, native birds. They prey on warblers, which is natural. But we understand very well how difficult it is to think that they are attacking your garden birds.
Bird feeders near a house, with tall bushes on either side, should help songbirds. The bushes give them a quick escape route. But it is important not to have bushes too close, as they can allow domestic cats or other predators to ambush them. A distance of about 1.5 to 1.8 m from the feeder is a good distance.
If a hawk is visiting your feeder, remove it for a few days. This will break the hawk’s habit. We expect the falcon to move to easier hunting grounds.
“Can you help keep the hawks away from our bird feeders?” asks Sheila Leppert of Morehead City, North Carolina.
We always feel conflicted when hawks appear at our feeders, chasing our songbirds. But since hawks are a native species, they are an integral part of nature. For even odds, place feeders near natural cover so songbirds can dive into them when a hawk arrives. Feeders surrounded by wire cages provide more protection. If a passing hawk becomes too troublesome, you may need to remove your feeders for a few days until it moves on. Songbirds will return to their natural food and come back to your feeders once the coast is clear.
Why are some singers not afraid of hawks? “A flock of songbirds in my yard doesn’t seem bothered by a hawk. Do they feel safer in large numbers?” asks Barbara Godshall of Souderton, Pennsylvania.
Birds have varied reactions to hawks. In large groups, they may be bolder. Some crows even go as far as to hunt hawks!
A solitary bird can dive for cover, but a flock can watch the hawk and prepare to flee if needed. Its behavior also varies according to the type of hawk it is. Small birds will not be so brave in the presence of a Cooper’s hawk or a peregrine falcon. Both are fast raptors that prey on birds. But, they can tolerate a red-tailed hawk, which is not the case for being fast enough to catch most birds.
