In most of the environments they live in, hawks are predatory birds at the top of the food chain, meaning that although most animals prey on them, they themselves consume a diverse range of prey.
Even with their powerful beaks, keen claws, and superior hunting skills, hawks sometimes experience periods of weakness and vulnerability during which they become prey.
Regretfully, while the hawk is still in the egg, its weakest and most vulnerable times happen even before it hatches, and things do not get any better after it does.
Young hawks and their eggs are equally vulnerable if left unattended; climbing or flying predators might harm either.
When the juvenile hawks go too far from their parents’ sight during flying training, they run the danger of becoming prey to predators.
There are less and fewer predators for the hawk as it becomes older, stronger, and smarter. A hawk, like any other wild animal, is not immune to injury and may get wounds from time to time.
As a result, a wounded hawk that is unable to fly or defend itself is easy prey for other predators; naturally, scavengers will also consume a dead hawk.
Let’s investigate the identities of the flying and climbing predators as well as the other foes of hawks. But first, let’s learn a little bit about hawk biology to better appreciate why hawks make such challenging prey.
A Brief Overview Of Hawks
With the exception of Antarctica, there are over 200 species of hawks in the large family Accipitridae, which is comprised of prey birds. Although they may adapt to numerous habitats, forests are where they are mostly found.
With up to one million photoreceptors in the retina and four different kinds of color receptors in the eyes, these birds have exceptional diurnal vision. They also score well on a Canadian avian intelligence quotient.
The receptors are connected to the hawk’s brain via a multitude of nerves. The fovea, a tiny, serrated center pit in the retina, aids in cortical magnification, which is the process by which the bird enlarges the central region of its field of vision.
Their hearing is keen, but their sense of smell is poor. The “super-power” of the hawk, however, is really its speed; some species have been seen to dive as fast as 240 km/h.
The hawk is a solitary bird, with the exception of migratory species. During the mating season, it typically mates with a single partner; otherwise, it lives alone.
The size and color of hawks vary greatly across species and even between individuals. Generally speaking, women are bigger than men.
The Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is the largest species of hawk, growing up to 59 centimeters in length, 2.2 kg in weight, with a maximum wingspan of 117 cm.
The Little Sparrowhawk (Accipiter minullus), which weighs 85 grams and has a body length of about 25 centimeters and a wingspan of 52 centimeters, is the smallest species of hawk.
How do you feel? Could a Little Sparrowhawk be hunted and eaten by a Northern Goshawk?
Predators of Hawks:
Larger Hawks Eat Smaller Hawks
For instance, a Gabar Goshawk may and probably will attack and devour the little Little Sparrowhawk, particularly if the victim has the misfortune of inadvertently crossing into the larger hawk’s area.
Generally speaking, the primary natural predator of the adult Little Sparrowhawk is the Gabar Goshawk.
Regardless of their familial ties, larger species of hawks will eat and hunt smaller ones.
In habitats where many hawk species coexist, larger species of hawks usually achieve control. A lesser hawk species has little chance of surviving against them because of their size, strength, experience, and talents. Fortunately, little hawks are harder to trap, so if it’s not a territorial dispute, large hawks are unlikely to kill smaller ones unless there is a shortage of food.
Eagle Eat Hawks
The Accipitridae family, which includes eagles and hawks, comprises huge predatory birds. There are around sixty species of eagles in Eurasia and Africa, nine in Central and South America, three in Australia, and two in North America.
Given the widespread distribution of hawks, it is likely that these two avian predators may cross paths, engage in territorial and nest-site competition, or put each other to the test in an attempt to get food.
In their conflict with the hawks, the massive eagles are even more ferocious; they often target the nests of the hawks and feed on immature hawklings and sometimes even smaller hawk species.
The adult fighting birds do not inherently hunt and consume one another. The adult hawk may ultimately sustain injuries as a result of repeated assaults on its nest and its defenses, leaving it open to attack by other predators.
See Also: Eagle, Falcon, Hawk: Recognition and Evaluation (Ultimate Guide 2022).
Do Hawks Get Eaten by Owls?
Similar to eagles, owls and hawks struggle for territory and nesting locations. In their battle, owls destroy hawk nests and feed on their young.
Given that the hawk’s eyesight is suited for the day, the owl is much more harmful to the hawk if it confronts it at night, when the owl’s vision is at its greatest.
Hawks tend to stay concealed and dormant throughout the night because they are aware of this lack.
A careless adult hawk may be attacked without hesitation by a fearless owl, however they normally go for the hawk’s eggs, hatchlings, or juveniles.
Are Foxes Predators of Hawks?
Since foxes and hawks can coexist almost anywhere, it is probable that the two will cross paths and that the fox, if it can get there, will go for the hawk’s nest.
The fox is a cunning predator that waits for an opportunity to strike, even if it means spending many long hours hiding.
The fox often preys on hawk eggs and hatchlings, but sometimes it becomes bold enough to take a chance on young hawks that aren’t yet grown enough to fly away or be ready for an assault.
The fox’s tactic is to injure the fledgling hawk so that it bleeds and becomes unable to fly, which prevents it from defending itself.
Can Raccoons Eat Hawks?
Raccoons are adept climbers that are always on the lookout for food, therefore they will attack unsecured hawk nests.
Similar to foxes, raccoons look for opportunities to hunt when adult birds are not around, focusing on eggs and hatchlings.
The raccoon’s strategy may not be particularly effective since there is usually a protecting father hawk nearby, even if there are circumstances in which the mother hawk must abandon the nest.
Of fact, this animal won’t often feed on hawk nests since raccoons are also on the hawk’s menu. A raccoon will devour a newly killed hawk if it may upon one.
See Also: Food For Raccoons? Do They Eat Animals or Plants for Food?
Do Snakes Eat Hawks?
Yes, normally it’s the other way around as hawks prey on snakes by nature.
Nonetheless, there are accounts of snakes retaliating, going up against hawks, and almost succeeding. However, adult hawks are off limits to the snakes.
Snakes will take advantage of an unattended nest, much like the majority of other hawk predators, and will either consume the eggs or hunt the hatchlings.
Snakes are far more nimble hunters than other hawk predators, quiet, and hard to see. Furthermore, they could target the hawks’ tall nests due to their climbing prowess.
The snake may approach the nest quite closely and startle the young hawklings with its stealthy presence. It can even use its deadly bite to capture an adult hawk.
Do Wolves Eat Hawks?
Given that wolves are land mammals and hawks are soaring birds, encounters between the two are uncommon and infrequent.
A hawk wouldn’t provide much of a feast for wolves, who typically hunt in groups of four to six.
However, the wolf is also an opportunistic eater; it will cheerfully consume any injured, deceased, or young hawk that it comes across.
Thus, while they do not actively hunt them, wolves do occasionally consume hawks since their diet mostly consists of medium- and large-sized animals, which are sufficient to sustain the whole pack.
Do People Eat Hawks?
It is forbidden to hunt or even catch hawks in many parts of the globe. This is mostly because to their often fragile or endangered position, their beneficial eating habits (which may include them preying on “pest” species like rats and rabbits), and the fact that they pose no threat to people.
While the majority of civilizations oppose the practice of eating raptors, several Alaskan tribes and small towns in the Midwest and Southwest of North America catch and consume hawks.
Because there is a chance that the raptor may have consumed poisons and toxins from its food (snakes, mice, frogs, etc.), eating raptor flesh is not advised.
Naturally, even though raptors don’t have very tasty meat, it is safe to consume them if you happen to find yourself in the wild and have no other food sources. Just make sure the bird isn’t a scavenging species.[3]
Which Other Wildlife Consumes Hawks?
Remember that the hawk is a predatory bird with few adversaries and is almost always at the top of the food chain.
Since a dead hawk is the simplest kind to capture, scavengers make up the majority of creatures that would venture to eat hawks. Other than that, these predators exclusively feed on hawk eggs, hatchlings, and sometimes young hawks.
Thus, any opportunistic predator or scavenger animal, such as bears, coyotes, crows, vultures, hyenas, etc., could and would consume a wounded, juvenile, or dead hawk.
Final Thoughts
The hawk has several predators despite being a predatory bird that is often at the top of the food chain.
Its relatives include some of its natural adversaries, with larger hawk species continuing to pose a danger long after smaller hawk species mature.
Other than that, a hawk’s most vulnerable times are during the egg phase and the first three months of life, until they learn to fly.
The likelihood of a hawk becoming prey decreases after the first three months as the hawk becomes stronger, more intelligent, and wiser.
The adult birds may also be at risk from the several predators that would target a hawk’s nest. A hawk may get injuries from fights with bigger raptors, poison from snakes, or predation by other animals (such as foxes) that endanger its nests.
The majority of human societies outlaw hunting and enslave hawks, and they also oppose the eating of their flesh. However, eating this magnificent bird is not an issue for certain remote tribes.
