What is a group of hawks called?
When can you see an eagle in a kettle?
Birds classified as hawks are usually only found alone or in pairs, but what is a flock of hawks called? Collective nouns are rather odd, sometimes even humorous names for groups of animals. A large number of these terms date back to the late Middle Ages and still hold a place in society today. Read on to discover the term used for a group of hawks.
What is a group of hawks called?
The terms most commonly used by a group of hawks are kettle, boil, or plaster.
It is believed that the word kettle originated from flocks of hawks, which looked like soup boiling in a pot, cauldron, or kettle, as the birds used the bowl-shaped stream of heat as they soared. Their flight pattern resembles steam rising from a kettle.
Depending on where in the world you are from, you may hear different terms. Some of these terms are much less common than others, and most of them apply to birds of prey:
- eagle’s nest
- hawks boil
- a pair of hawks
- a group of hawks
- a group of hawks
- a few eagles
- a group of hawks
- eagle’s nest
- eagle’s nest
- a group of hawks
- a pot of hawks
- a group of hawks
- lease hawks
- eagle belt
- eagle’s nest
- eagle molt
- eagle’s nest
- a pair of hawks
- hawk bent over
- hawk schizophrenia
- a group of hawks
- The hawk takes off
- a group of hawks
- rising hawk
- a group of hawks
- a group of hawks
- hawk’s dive
- eagle tower
When can you see an eagle in a kettle?
Since hawks are usually solitary birds or seen in pairs, you might wonder when you can see these birds in flocks. The answer is that during migration, hundreds of thousands of birds can be seen together.
This is because many birds share the same route during migration, as this allows them to share thermals and wind currents to help them fly. Again, it’s not just hawks doing this. The Raptor will do the same.
While this may seem like the birds are working together, they are actually still working independently. The only form of cooperation is shared airspace, not mutual attack.
Expert Q&A
ask a question
Do you have a question on this topic that we haven’t answered yet? Submit below and one of our experts will reply as soon as possible.

I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.