A Hawk That Hunts in Packs

BirdNote^®
A Hawk That Hunts in Packs  
Written by Richa Malhotra

This is BirdNote. 

    [Harris’s Hawk call]

While most raptors are solitary birds, Harris’s Hawks of the southwestern United States live -- and hunt -- in groups of two to six. 

The hunt begins in the wee hours of the morning with members of a group gathering on power poles, trees or giant cacti. Then, the hawks fly from one high perch to the next in search of prey; some fly ahead, the rest trailing behind. 

When the group spots a prey animal, the hawks swoop in from various directions to catch the confused creature with their sickle-shaped talons. If they miss and their prey takes cover, some of the birds try to flush it out while others lie in ambush. 

    [Harris’s Hawk call]

Banding together may allow the hawks to go after bigger prey, such as rabbits and hares. An adult jackrabbit can weigh two to three times more than a hawk and can actually injure or kill a bird in its defense. A pack approach is safer and more likely to be successful.

Another possible reason they cooperate is that hunting in habitats with shrubs and other undergrowth, where prey can hide, is easier with teamwork. 

However they might benefit, Harris’s Hawks’ pack strategy sets them apart.

    [Harris’s Hawk call]

For BirdNote, I’m Michael Stein.

Support for BirdNote is provided by Jim and Birte Falconer from Seattle, Washington, and generous listeners around the world.

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Senior Producer: John Kessler
Production Manager: Allison Wilson
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Associate Producer: Ellen Blackstone
Digital Producer: Conor Gearin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Harris’s Hawk ML 44764 recorded by N. Tucker, and Harris’s Hawk Xeno Canto 453233 recorded by P. Marvin.
Quiet Planet QP13 1615 recorded by Gordon Hempton.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2021 BirdNote     November 2021     Narrator: Michael Stein

ID# HRSH-01-2021-11-01        HRSH-01

References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284284503
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/239/4847/1525
https://academic.oup.com/auk/article/130/3/548/5148914