How to Tell the Difference Between a Male & Female Hawk
The term hawk refers broadly to the members of the Falconiformes order of diurnal birds of prey. In North America, this order includes 35 regularly occurring species of eagles, falcons, hawks, vultures, kites and harriers and 12 vagrant species that irregularly occur on the continent. Difference in form between male and female members of the same species is known as sexual dimorphism. According to "Hawks of North America," most female hawks are larger than their male counterparts. In some cases, plumage differences separate the sexes. In other cases, visual sex determination is impossible.
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Things You'll Need
- Binoculars
- Spotting scope
- General bird field guide
- Specialty field guide to hawks
Instructions
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Instructions
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Locate the hawk, and get as close a view as safely possible with your binoculars or spotting scope. Perched birds are primarily easier to examine than flying birds, although soaring birds offer opportunities to examine wing shapes and underwing patterns.
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Determine the species of the hawk using a general field guide. Plumage, eye stripes, leg colors, bill shapes, tail banding, streaking and relative size in comparison to known objects or other hawks and other features can aid in this process.
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Refer to a specialty field guide for subtle differences between male and female hawks of the species in question. While field marks may not prove conclusive, learning the typical behaviors of hawk species may aid in sex determination. For instance, male Cooper's hawks will perform a bowing ritual to females after pairing and before nest building. Male common black-hawks will perform an undulating aerial dance to attract or impress a female.
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Tips & Warnings
Although the general rule of thumb states that females are larger than males, partially reflective of their necessary egg-carrying capacity, size overlap can occur. For example, a large male sharp-shinned hawk may be the same size as a small female.
While it may seem like an onerous task, attempt to find more than one hawk in a scope view at one time. After pairing in spring, male and female red-tailed hawks will perch together on the same branch, offering an excellent opportunity for size comparison.
In most instances, female hawks will remain on a nest with both the eggs and the hatchlings, while the male searches for and returns food to the mother and young.
Always maintain a safe distance from birds being observed. According to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, it is illegal to possess eggs, nests, birds or bird parts of species covered by that law.
Birds that are raising young can be particularly protective of their nests and can cause physical harm.
References
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Comments
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I have experienced two sitings of a Merlin Falcon in my garden in Encinitas, CA, about 30 miles noth of San Diego, CA. This is rare as the normal habitat of the Merlin Falcon is Canada until winter, then the northern rim of US and Cascades and Coastal regions of Washington State. The firs siting was about 3 days ago and the Merlin sat on my fountain and bathed. Today, she tried to kill a Mourning Dove as all other wildlife on the property ran for cover!
