what time of year do hawks have their young

[sydney13]

i heard that hawks are out hunting less when they are caring for their babbies. Is this true? What time of year do they have their chicks?

 

[fancbrd4me02]

I dubt that would be true. They probably have to hunt more to feed thier babies.

 

[Kittymomma]

They may ease off a bit while setting on the eggs, but will more then make up for it once they have young to feed.

 

[lleighmay]

Around here their babies will be hatching anytime, if they haven't already. Both parents will be hunting 3x as hard in order to keep themselves and the chicks fed.

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

There's a redtail nest in my local woods with a female sitting. I'm not sure if there's babies or eggs but I've seen one of the 2 hawks bringing squirrels to the nest.

 

[Break an Egg]

I've been seeing hawks like crazy and a week or so ago, one got one of my hens.

 

[deadeye531]

It all depends on the species of hawks and how the weather in your area has been. We have some red shoulders hatching now but also have some red tails still working on nests along with coopers. Also for all hawks when the female lays her eggs she never leaves them until they hatch and the male will hunt for himself and her but bring her more than he will eat his own self. However when the chicks hatch they take turns hunting and guarding the nest. And by week 6 the chicks are following mom and dad around learning to fly and learning to hunt. Before they hatch the male will not hunt in the nesting or family area and when they do hatch they still wont hunt around the nest but they will carry pine cones or sticks doing the hail call and get the babies to follow and will drop it so the babies will chase and "attack" the object. Eventually it will progress to crippling a bird or chipmunk,squirrel and let the chicks make the kill in the same fashion.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Plus, there's the migration season to think about in some areas. Here, the red-tailed hawks are the biggest problem. We're at the edge of the range where they can over winter and we do occasionally see some in the winter. We get large numbers going through in spring and fall. That's when attacks are most likely here.

The migrating hawks may just fly through or may stop to take advantage of a meal that's out in the open. They're really hungry, don't have all day to hunt and they need to stop for water, anyway. The "locals" seem to find enough food in their usual hunting areas and are familiar with our dogs, one in particular that dislikes hawks. Maddie will go after a hawk, chase one that flies low and harass one that is sitting in a tree, jumping up, barking and trying to climb up there.

 

[babyblue]

last year a pair raised babies in the tree a few hundred yards from the coop. I didnt see babies till nearly mid summer in central pa.