Are Hawks Monogamous? (And Is It True That They Mate Mid-Air?)

Do hawks that prey together stay together?

Co-authored by Scott McCombe and Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA

Last Updated: January 23, 2023 References

Do hawks partner for life?

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When do hawks mate?

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Can hawks mate mid-air?

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Do hawks stay together as a family?

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Hawk Nesting & Parenting Habits

Hawks are known as fierce hunters, but are these hulking birds of prey softies at heart? You’ve probably heard rumors that hawks are loyal, faithful family birds who commit to just one partner for life. Or, maybe you’ve seen a pair of hawks getting a bit…frisky mid-flight. Get ready, because we have all the details you ever wanted to know about hawk mating habits.

Things You Should Know

Hawks will mate for life until one of the partners dies, gets seriously injured, or is captured.
Hawks are usually solitary birds, but mated pairs will live together until their baby birds are fully independent.
Both partners help build their nest and care for their young.

Section 1 of 5:

Do hawks partner for life?

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Hawks are monogamous as long as they can find each other. Once hawks choose a partner, they return to that bird for the rest of their lives. They’re very territorial birds, so they’ll typically remain close to where they’ve built their breeding nest. That makes it easy for the birds to find each other when they’re ready to mate.^{[1]
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- Hawks aren’t exactly romantic. Monogamy makes life easier and safer for the birds because they don’t have to keep courting their whole lives. Plus, they don’t have to fight another hawk for the right to mate.
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A hawk may seek out a new partner if their mate dies or is missing. Sometimes a hawk is too injured to fly or gets captured, which takes it away from its mate. Once a hawk realizes that their mate is gone, they may decide to seek out a new partner. However, some hawks choose to remain single after losing their partner.^{[2]
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- There’s a lot of debate about whether or not hawks mourn their lost partners. Some bird enthusiasts believe that they do, but there’s no way to know for sure.
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Since hawks are solitary, they don’t live together most of the year. Hawks really only like to hang out with other hawks during breeding season in the spring and during migration in the fall. During the rest of the year, they like to live alone so they can hunt by themselves. They’re also very territorial, so they don’t take too kindly to other hawks intruding in their space.^{[3]
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- Mated pairs may live near each other, but they’re not going to be cuddling together when it’s not time to breed.

Section 2 of 5:

When do hawks mate?

Hawks mate during the spring. The mating season begins in March and lasts through May. Typically, hawks in warmer climates will mate earlier than hawks in cooler areas. When the weather starts to warm up, they start looking for their partner so they can breed.^{[4]
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Section 3 of 5:

Can hawks mate mid-air?

Although hawks do a mating dance, they don’t actually mate mid-air. When you see two hawks doing a mating ritual, it’s actually the male wooing the female. He’ll soar high and dive bomb to show her his mad flying skills, then he’ll try to tackle her. In most cases, it’ll look like they’re breeding when he’s tussling with her, but he’s just trying to impress her. If she’s interested, she’ll perch somewhere they can mate.^{[5]
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- Hawks usually mate on a perch or the ground. If they’ve previously build a nest together, they may return to the nest to breed.

Section 4 of 5:

Do hawks stay together as a family?

Hawks stay with their fledglings until they can fly and feed themselves. Typically, hawk fledglings start flying when they’re around 27 to 34 days old. However, they usually don’t learn to hunt for their own food until they’re about 6 to 8 weeks old. The parents will stay with their little ones until they’re totally independent.^{[6]
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- The entire family of hawks will live in the nest for about 2 months.

Section 5 of 5:

Hawk Nesting & Parenting Habits

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Mated hawks build their nest together. The male hawk will pick out a good spot for the nest, usually in a wooded area. Then, he’ll collect materials, like twigs and leaves, and his partner will assemble the nest. Together, they make a great team!^{[7]
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- Some hawks reuse their nests if they’re in good condition. The red-tailed hawk, which is the most common in the United States, prefers to reuse nests multiple times.
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Eggs usually hatch in 28 to 35 days. After mating, female hawks lay between 1 and 5 eggs, which take about a month to hatch. Hawks don’t need to sit on their eggs all of the time to keep them warm. Still, the female bird will typically roost on her eggs to help them incubate.^{[8]
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The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Research lab of Cornell University dedicated to interpreting and conserving the Earth's biological diversity through research and education about birds
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- Incubate means “to develop.” Typically, it refers to birds sitting on their eggs to keep them warm while the baby grows inside the egg.
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Both hawks defend their nest of eggs together. When the female bird is incubating the eggs, the male will hunt for her. Otherwise, they’ll take turns hunting and watching the nest. Hawks are very in-sync as a couple once they’ve mated.^{[9]
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- Hawks will defend their nest very vigorously, attacking any bird or animal that tries to approach.
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Once the eggs hatch, the male hawk hunts for the entire family. The mother and father hawk split the parenting duties for their young. The male’s job is to bring home enough prey to feed everyone. Typically, they feed on smaller birds or rodents, like mice and squirrels.^{[10]
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- If they’re super hungry, hawks will eat bugs and snakes, but they prefer meatier prey.
- The father hawk will continue to hunt for the family until the babies are old enough to kill their own prey, which usually happens when they’re 8 weeks old.
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The mother hawk feeds the babies what her partner brings home. After the father hawk returns with a meal, the mother will tear off pieces of meat and prepare them for her babies. Then, she’ll feed each baby until they’re full or the food is gone.^{[11]
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- Because they feed on small animals, hawk nests can get very gross. The parents may have to replace some of the nesting materials as time goes on.