hawk

The word ‘hawk’ is loosely used for any medium-sized bird of prey: (in Europe and Asia) for ‘goshawks’, ‘sparrowhawks’ and others which are considered “not true hawks” by some bird experts; (in N. America) for ‘falcons’, ‘eagles’, ‘kites’, ‘buzzards’ etc. which are considered “true hawks” by some bird experts (in general) for any bird of prey, except the ‘owls’.

sparrow hawk

{However, in this course material, we discuss, in general, any ‘bird of prey’ that has ‘hawk’ in its name.}

a kind of bird – bird of prey (a bird that kills other animals to eat) – small to medium-sized – slim light body (with different colours of feathers for different species);

sharp strong beak (bill), sharp eyes, short slightly rounded wings and long tail,

sharp & powerful talons

strong legs and sharp and powerful claws, called ‘talons’; size: 1 foot to 2 feet long and weighs 500 grams to 1½ Kg., females are larger than males; feeds on (eats) squirrels, rats, mice, rabbits, hares, frogs, small snakes, large insects and other small birds; lives for 10-20 years; several species (kinds) found all over the world, except Antarctica

male ~~ teircel (mostly used for a male falcon; also for a hawk, used in falconry) hawk, male

female ~~ hen; bowess(?) (mostly used in falconry)

baby ~~ chick; eyas (especially a chick taken away from a nest for training in falconry)

group ~~ cast, kettle, (aerie (?))

voice (call) ~~ squawk

home ~~ nest (for egg laying and raising the young) mew (man-made cage)

Some common kinds of hawks are: red-tailed hawk, buckeye hawk, Ferruginues hawk, Cooper’s hawk, zone-tailed hawk, common black hawk, goosehawk, sparrow hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Harlan’s hawk, Swainson’s hawk, grey hawk

Special Features:

Some scientists’ studies show that hawks are the most intelligent of all the birds of prey in terms of hunting for food!

‘Hawk’ came from a Middle English word ‘hefoc’ which means ‘to grasp or seize’, and the hawk is given this name because it uses its powerful ‘talons’ (claws) which act like a vice when catching its prey!

Hawks are migratory, i.e. they fly to distant places depending on the changes in the weather.

Hawks are also used in ‘falconry’, the hobby of training birds of prey to hunt other animals, and get back to their owners on their own!

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