When a hawk, falcon, or eagle is too young to leave its nest, it’s called an eyas. Other names include chick or hatchling.
Baby hawks don’t have sharp beaks or talons when they’re born, so they rely on their parents to tear meat up for them. They may remain with their parents for weeks or months after fledge, as they learn to hunt on their own.
The male and female red-tailed hawk often mate for life, sharing the same hunting territory in a roost or cliffs. The female lays one to five grayish-white eggs at two-day intervals, and both parents incubate them for 42 to 48 days. After the chicks hatch, the parents teach them to fly and hunt by dropping food for them.
These birds spend their summers on the Arctic tundra and migrate south for the winter. Watch for them in open areas, where they hover with their wings down, looking for prey. You can also hear them calling—a harsh, sharp alarm call that sounds like “kree-a,” and lasts 2-3 seconds.
The Northern Harrier is one of the most unique raptors in North America. These big hawks use their incredible eyesight, but they also rely on hearing to find prey—especially small mammals. They can hear the scurry of a mouse under a rock, and are also known to chase mice from trees. They’ll even fly up in the air, hovering until they can see their prey, then diving down to catch it.
