What Do Hawks Eat? (Complete Guide)

As one of the most important predators in terrestrial ecosystems, eagles are a distinct class of raptors around the world. Given the variety of species that exist, it’s no surprise that they ate a wide variety of prey. This might make you wonder, what do hawks eat?

Eagles are birds of prey, which means they are carnivores, feeding on carrion (dead animals) or the animals they hunt. This means that their meal preferences vary depending on the size, location, habitat and available food sources of the raptor. The eagle’s diet consists mainly of birds, lizards, mice, rabbits, rats and snakes.

If you’ve ever wondered what an eagle eats, read on to learn more about this majestic creature!

There are more than 200 species of eagles worldwide, 25 of which are in the United States, and they live in a variety of habitats in different climates, so the feed they consume depends on the food available. Mostly hawks live in open areas like deserts and fields where they can easily spot prey, but they have been known to call wetlands, woodlands, urban areas and tropical rainforests their home. The most common foods for hawks are:

• birds
• insect
• lizard
• mouse
• rabbit
• mouse
• snake

A sharp eagle perched on a tree stump looking for food

What do eagles eat in the wild?

Hawks eat a variety of insects and invertebrates, including crickets, grasshoppers, dragonflies, moths, crayfish and shrimp. Also, lizards, turtles, snakes and other reptiles are always on the menu. Some eagles have been known to die from venomous snake bites during the hunt. Small mammals are another favorite hawk food and include pikas, hares, rabbits, lagomorphs, shrews, rodents, lemmings, squirrels, voles, gophers, hares, and groundhogs.

Eagles are interesting predators because they even prey on their feathered cousins. In fact, many of these raptors are ornithologists, eating hummingbirds, songbirds, quail, pheasant, grouse, and waterfowl.

What do eagles eat in the city?

Due to the growth and expansion of cities, more and more hawks are now found in cities. In urban areas, hawks adapt their hunting habits to local foods, including squirrels, mice, birds, reptiles, crabs, and bats. Although rare, hawks have been known to attack small dogs.

A black kite in the city

What do young eagles eat?

A kitty’s diet consists mainly of smaller organisms such as crustaceans, carp, catfish, lizards, and insects, depending on their location and available food. Also, depending on the age, the chicks will eat food regurgitated by their mothers.

What do eagles eat in winter?

When winter comes, many of the same foods that were available in the warmer months have gone into hibernation, migrated elsewhere, or are hidden under snow and ice. This means hawks are usually limited to preying on small rodents such as voles and carrion.

red tailed hawk in winter

How do eagles hunt?

Eagles hunt in a variety of ways, including:

air pursuit

Aerial chases are a fast-paced type of hunting that takes place deep in the woods, where success depends on factors such as surprise, acrobatics and speed. Birds are the most common prey for this fast form of hunting.

cooperative

Cooperative hunting occurs when multiple hawks work together to catch prey, especially if the animals are larger. Typically, one hawk flies into an area, causing all animals in the area to retreat while the others wait to kill.

goofy

Eagles with large wings can soar high in the air for long periods of time, which can stress their prey. Once ready, the eagle swoops down to hunt.

soaring low

Soaring low is a tactic that occurs in open habitats where hawks can fly straight to a lower position. This hunting style relies on purpose and quick movement. Prey are often startled by the fast-moving raptors, and they flee quickly, thereby exposing them to the attack.

hover and raid

In the hover and raid types, hawks fly low over open areas until they spot small prey directly above the animal, then swoop down to swoop.

perches and swoops

Perches and dives are performed without starting in a flight position. With this hunting method, hawks choose a prominent tree sign and overlook a hunting area. Once they spot their prey, they swoop down and attack.

Cooper’s hawk perched on a branch, swooping down in search of prey

Are eagles carnivores?

Because eagles eat only meat, they are considered carnivorous birds.

How to Attract Hawks to Your Backyard

You may be terrified of seeing a hawk prowling near your backyard because of the horror stories of hawks attacking puppies and kittens. While they can attack pets, this is unusual activity. Despite its reputation, there are several benefits to attracting hawks to your backyard. Since their diet is dominated by rodents, they are very good at repelling rats, rats and even raccoons. Eagles are also useful if you have fish or koi ponds, since they don’t dive into the water to catch fish. However, they will hunt mammals and snakes that hunt these fish.

To attract hawks to your backyard, you must provide enough shelter to nest and enough food to eat. They prefer tall trees with stable branches to scan for prey and roost. The nuts and seeds scheme attracts rodents, further attracting hawks. Bird feeders are excellent hunting destinations for hawks that prey on other birds.

A red-shouldered hawk in the backyard

Do hawks eat owls?

While hawks have been known to attack owls, they are not looking for food. This is mainly because owls venture too close to the eagle’s nest. Feuds between birds of prey are uncommon in the animal kingdom.

Do eagles eat snakes?

Amphibians and reptiles are the eagle’s daily dinner, including snakes. Those who hunt snakes prefer non-forested areas where they can best observe ground dwellers. These hawks don’t depend entirely on snakes; they also hunt small mammals and aquatic animals such as crabs and crayfish.

Red-shouldered hawk flying away with snake prey

Do eagles eat birds?

Eagles eat birds that are smaller than them. Specific hawk species are known as “accipiter’s,” meaning that other birds make up a large portion of their diet. The Accipiter’s game birds range from large grouse to small songbirds, robins and hummingbirds. For this reason, suburban backyards with bird feeders are becoming popular hunting destinations for hawks.

Do eagles eat foxes?

Several species of hawks are known to prey on foxes because they have the advantage of attacking from above, something no terrestrial mammal could anticipate or respond to. Some eagles are large enough to take adult foxes away and eat them.

Do eagles eat ducks?

Although none of the eagle species is large or strong enough to carry some mature large ducks, they use their sharp talons to chop up their backs to help them transport them elsewhere. Small duck species, ducklings and ducklings are very vulnerable to hawks.

Goshawks attack prey

Do eagles eat grass?

Birds of prey, like eagles, are only carnivores, which means they only eat meat, so these birds of prey don’t eat plants or vegetables!

Do eagles eat rabbits?

Eagles, which prefer to nest and hunt in open areas, feed on small mammals such as rabbits.

Do eagles eat fruit?

Since hawks are carnivores, they only eat meat, which means that fruits and berries are not part of their diet.