What does a small hawk look like? Sparrowhawk - description, habitat. Where to release a bird of prey chick
Goshawks. Nesting.
It's mid-February. It's time to start looking for a place where goshawks will nest. The winter turned out to have little snow, and wandering through the forest was not difficult, and if you were lucky with the weather, then it was pure pleasure and a sea of positive emotions. Whatever one may say, spring is just around the corner and this makes the soul joyful and warm, even if the trees are cracking from the frost. There is a little more than a month left until the female sits on the clutch in the nest.
I won’t tell you how to find a hawks’ nest. I will explain the reason for this at the end of the story, so I apologize for the “blank spot” in the story.
On the twentieth of March, the female sat down in a nest, which was located on a larch tree about twenty-five meters from the ground, and I could only wait patiently, visiting her every day so that the couple would get used to me. Even if I did not see either the female or the male, I knew for sure that they were closely watching me - the female through the branches of the nest, and the male from the pines or larches located within a radius of thirty to one hundred meters from the nest.
I would like to note that the male never flies close to the nest. Sometimes he flies over the nest about twenty meters above, however, he does this extremely rarely. During this period, the birds almost do not shout to each other. The female may not cry even once during the day. The male sometimes screams often and a lot, but this is not at all connected with the communication of the spouses.
The fact is that there are many old goshawk nests on the nesting territory. Some are close to the “working” nest, others are 100-150 meters away, and others are even five hundred meters away. So the male uses these nests as decoys. If the male notices a person next to the “working” nest, then he flies to the decoy nest, sits down next to him and begins to scream loudly, thereby diverting the attention of the uninvited guest to himself. I have been watching goshawks for many years, and every time at the beginning of my acquaintance the males gave me a test of stupidity. After a week of my daily visits to the family, the male stops flying away and screaming. There is no talk of recognizing me as one of their own, and this is still far away, however, the hawks already perceive me calmly, as part of this corner of nature.
The female sometimes fusses around in the nest, apparently turning over the eggs in the clutch. Looking at her, I never cease to be amazed at the strength of the maternal instinct. Spring in our latitudes is unpredictable. And rain, and snow, and frost, but the female does not leave the nest.
At the very beginning of my observations of nesting goshawks, I had a hunch that the female did not eat during the entire incubation period, which was about forty days. It was hard to believe, but further observations only confirmed my assumption, and now I have almost no doubt that the female is starving. In fairness, I want to clarify that some sources talk about the replacement of a female by a male during her hunt, but many hundreds of hours of my observations do not confirm this fact. It refers to daylight hours, but I cannot assume that the female hunts at night. Another nuance that indirectly confirms my assumption is the absence of “fresh” droppings under the nest during the entire incubation period until the appearance of the first chick. Knowing the accuracy of goshawks, it is difficult to assume that the female voids in the nest, because even their chicks, as soon as they begin to move around the nest, first crawl to the edge to release a trickle out.
However, if someone can provide facts (preferably a video) that refute my assumptions, I will be sincerely glad, because in such observations there is always a chance for the concept of “didn’t notice.”
And I have repeatedly heard scary stories about how goshawks, when there is a lack of food, kill the youngest chick and feed it to the older children. To my question, where, who and when saw this, the answer is always the same: - That’s what they write. Well, they write on fences and something else...
Be that as it may, when the first chick appears, the male begins feeding the family. Returning from hunting, the male, as a rule, sits not far from the nest and calls the female. At first, the male brings the prey carcass already cleaned of feathers and without the head, as if he had flown to the nearest supermarket. When the chicks grow up, the male sometimes flies right over the nest and drops prey there.
The female flies out of the nest at the call of her husband, takes the prey from him and returns to the kids. It should be noted here that there is a taboo on the appearance of a male in the nest, and this applies not only to goshawks. The same thing happens in sparrowhawks, sparrow owls and some other species of birds of prey.
In very rare cases, the male is allowed to sit on the nest, but this depends solely on the character of the female and the personal relationship of the pair. This year I was lucky enough to take a photo when the male was in the nest with the female. This scene lasted no more than ten seconds, and only once in two months of daily observations.
However, I return to the topic of feeding the chicks. At first, while the chicks are small, the female feeds the babies from the crop, and then begins to feed them, tearing off pieces from the carcass.
The chicks grow quickly by leaps and bounds to the delight of their parents. Little hawks are very active and curious. They settle on the edge of the nest and begin to explore the world around them. It's funny to watch how they synchronously follow any moving object with their gaze.
Here I want to make a small digression in the form of advice for beginning photographers. If you want to receive good photos fledglings from close range, it is very important to come to the nest every day and spend several hours there in any weather. Even if it’s raining and there’s no point in taking pictures, you have to be patient. Your patience will be rewarded by the trust in you of the young hawks that fly out of their nests, and they will allow you to come within a distance of two to three meters. The use of flash does not affect the behavior of young hawks.
This year, due to abnormal weather conditions, the goshawks did not use birch branches with leaves and catkins, which they usually use to line the edge of the nest around the entire perimeter. It’s not entirely clear why they do this, but it’s definitely not to decorate the home. Bearing in mind that tar is made from birch, or more precisely from its resin, I assume that hawks use birch branches as protection from blood-sucking insects.
The first moult of the chicks passes quickly, and from white fluffy lumps with thin necks, the chicks acquire an ocher color with dark vertical streaks on the chest, turning into small hawks, the look of which no longer raises any doubt that these are serious guys, even though their eyes are still “milky” gray-greenish color.
About ten days before the chicks fly out, the female begins to leave the nest, settling on the branches of neighboring trees about twenty meters from it, in order to take a break from the cramped surroundings and bustle of the grown offspring, and at the same time to tidy up her feathers. However, this does not stop her from vigilantly monitoring everything that happens around her. The male is also nearby and woe to the crow that dares to approach the nest with the chicks. One day I watched as two crows from “last year” decided to make themselves known at a goshawk nest. First the male went on the attack, and then the female joined him. The poor crows (and the birds are not small) turned into sparrows out of fear, and the matter could have ended in tragedy for the crows, judging by the determination of the hawks. I had to intervene. Grabbing a stick, I began to knock on the tree on which the crows were sitting. The hawks retreated, and the crows quickly retreated, after which I never saw them at the nest again.
Sometimes goshawks kill two or three crows and throw them next to the nest, only pecking the victims' chests a little. This happens at the very beginning of nesting in places where there are a lot of crows and serves as a warning for all the gray lads. In fact, hawks openly despise crows and, provided there is a sufficient supply of pigeons or other game, will never eat a crow they kill, and hawks kill them only when their patience with the annoying pursuit of grays comes to an end.
For me personally, goshawks are aristocrats of the highest order. They never fight over food, even as chicks, and adult birds do not conflict over hunting territory. The exception is the nesting territory in spring. At this time, the appearance of other hawks leads to conflicts, which usually end in the expulsion of strangers, but sometimes it comes to deadly fights. One day, my friend, with great difficulty, recaptured a visiting male from a couple, whom the owners of the territory beat almost to death. The friend took the victim to his home, and fortunately the male came to his senses and was soon released.
Again I got distracted from the main topic. I hope you will forgive me for this.
There is very little time left before the hawks fly out of the nest. They constantly train their wings, flapping them in the nest one at a time, and this is not surprising, because the wingspan of the “babies” by this time reaches approximately 70-80 centimeters.
The first flight of the chicks is accompanied by the first hawk cry. Some chicks have a stronger cry, like an adult bird, some have a weak, and sometimes “hoarse” cry, however, the voice is an acquired taste.
After all the chicks have fledged, the female joins in feeding them. Parents bring the prey to the nest, where the children deal with it themselves. At this time, the offspring are taught what hawks should eat. And the diet for young people is very diverse. Except relatively large birds, as well as their chicks (for training, hawks do not disdain to destroy the nests of thrushes), bring squirrels (always decapitated), rats and even mice. I call the latter “vitamins” for fledglings, because what is a complete meal for a kestrel is a “seed” for a goshawk. With squirrels, the fledglings more closely imitate the desire to eat it, and can take turns eating the carcass for a very long time. Even if there are four fledglings, the slightly eaten squirrel carcass eventually ends up on the ground. And really, why bother with thick-skinned and furry ones when the parents bring a tender and tasty pigeon. Children are children, but survival lessons are learned throughout life.
About three weeks after departure, the young hawks finally leave the nest. The female withdraws from feeding the offspring and reserves only the duties of protecting the territory from dangerous strangers, and the male begins to teach the children to hunt. He brings the prey, places it on a fallen tree or stump, calls the children and flies away. How the fledglings determine which of them should take the prey is a mystery to me, but all of them together never fly up, although they sit on a branch waiting for their father nearby. The one of the fledglings who “attacks” the prey proudly puts his paw on it, lifts his head and begins to shout, as if telling everyone in the forest: “Look, I’m a great hunter!”
Goshawks are truly great hunters, however, young hawks often cannot cope with their power and hit trees without calculating their flight path. Fortunately, if a broken fledgling falls into good hands... The situation is reminiscent of the psychology of a young driver in a powerful car who decided that he was a pro. The result is an accident.
By the end of August, the father stops feeding the children and independent life begins for them. Most young birds migrate south for the winter, and many of them, unfortunately, never return. In addition to natural causes, one of the main ones is the human factor.
Would-be hunters hate goshawks with fierce hatred, believing that they take away their prey, and therefore shoot dozens of these beautiful birds as they fly by. Knowing full well that shooting hawks is prohibited, the killers post photos on the Internet where they pose in front of shot birds, although they hide their faces. I want to tell these ignoramuses that hawks take weak or sick birds! By destroying hawks, you create the preconditions for the occurrence of epidemics in game, which leads to a catastrophic decrease in the populations of most of the species that you hunt. Suffice it to recall how in the sixties of the last century, wolves were brought into the Tver region by helicopter, which had previously been shot from the same helicopters. And the reason for this was the almost complete disappearance of wild boars, roe deer, moose and many other species of animals.
It's time to go back to the beginning of the story and explain why I didn't talk about how to find a goshawk's nest.
The reason for everything is poachers. The fashion for birds of prey on the one hand and human greed (however, there is no other in nature) lead to the fact that a huge number of birds are being removed from nature. Eggs or already hatched chicks are taken from the nests for sale. Unfortunately, many “falconers” (namely in quotes) do not disdain this type of poaching. It is even more regrettable that some bird of prey nurseries also remove hawks from the wild, then pass them off as captive-bred and sell them with a full set of official documents. No comments needed.
Sorry for the sad ending, but personally I have no reasons for optimism yet, and hopes for changing the situation for the better are fading every day. Alas…
P.S.
I finished writing this article late in the evening, and early in the morning my friend Vladimir called:
A topic to your liking. In the Botanical Garden, a young goshawk sits on the ground. I photographed him for two days, he flew and hunted beautifully, but now he’s sitting there nothing. As if the dogs wouldn't bite him to death. I can’t pick it up myself, I’m in a hurry to get to work.
I rushed to Botany, found the bird and was dumbfounded. A very large young female was sitting in front of me. Its size amazed me. She sat with her mouth open and breathing heavily. The joy of seeing such a beauty was overshadowed by the understanding that the girl was not a resident. What I wrote about above happened. Apparently, during the attack, she hit her belly on a thick branch, and with such blows in birds, as a rule, the liver or spleen ruptures, and sometimes both together.
I called Volodya and said that he had found the bird, but, to my great regret, I assumed that the bird would live for a maximum of a couple of days. He took a sheet out of his backpack and wrapped the wounded man in it.
Alas, I was wrong in my forecast. I carried the female in my arms like a small child, and already approaching the “Friendship of Peoples” fountain at VDNKh, I felt her stretch out her paws, her head thrown back, and her eyes closed…. Very sorry.
With respect to the readers, Vladimir Goryachev.
Goshawks breed once a year, between early April and mid-June, with peak activity occurring in late April-May. The couple begins to build a nest two months before laying eggs. Usually, the nest is made in an overmature forest, on a branch near the trunk, not far from open spaces - roads, swamps, meadows, etc. The nest is about a meter in diameter, located at a height of 0.5-1 m above the ground and is built from dry twigs entwined with green shoots or tufts of pine needles and pieces of bark.
Typically, the female lays 2-4 eggs with an interval of 2-3 days each. The eggs measure 59 x 45 mm, rough to the touch, bluish-white. Chicks begin to hatch after 28-38 days. The female incubates mainly, but the male replaces her during the hunt. After the birth of the offspring, the female continues to remain in the nest for another 25 days, during this period all concerns about prey for the female and offspring fall on the male.
The hatched chicks remain in the nest for 34-35 days, after which they begin to move to neighboring branches of the same tree. They begin to fly at the age of 35-46 days, and nevertheless continue to feed from their parents until they are 70 days old. Complete abandonment of parents often occurs suddenly, and 95% of all young hawks become fully independent by the 95th day of their birth. The period of sexual maturity in young hawks occurs after a year.
For five years, ornithological scientists observed the avian environment of the same pair of goshawks, which nested in the same tract for all five seasons. The female began to incubate the eggs when spring had barely made its way through the wide clearings deep into the forest, when her very first companions, buntings and finches, had not yet looked there. In the fork of a tall, straight-trunked birch tree, a hawk's nest (a meter-wide platform) was visible to everyone in the bare forest for a good hundred steps. Everyone saw the yellow-eyed hen and the father hawk who brought her food. And they saw everyone too.
But, despite such a formidable neighborhood, every day in April more and more people flew into the tract. more birds: from dawn to dusk the songs of blackbirds and robins sounded, woodpeckers were hollowing out hollows, woodcocks were pulling in the twilight. And on the eve of May Day the nightingale began to sing. At first, this flurry of bird life created the idea that hawks did not bother their feathered neighbors, that predators had some special relationship with those who boldly settled nearby. Meanwhile, female thrushes, finches, and flycatchers built nests in the trees adjacent to the hawk's nest; laid eggs and began to incubate them. But soon the bird’s calm life ended. The females were captured by the hawk in their own nests, plucked and given to its growing chicks to eat. The feathered singer-fathers did not even know what happened to their families. Not seeing their females, they gradually left the tract, but the next spring it again rang with their songs. Only those who managed to hatch the chicks small birds which nested in hollows.
Goshawks begin to build their nest at the very end of winter, breaking thin twigs and placing them in the fork of thick branches. After a year or two, without any apparent reason, they can build a second nest a few meters from the first one and raise chicks in it, then they return to the old nest again and, having corrected it with fresh material, raise a new generation in it. When the chicks hatch, green branches are laid on the nest every morning. Gradually the platform becomes wider and more spacious. Parents do this to ensure that the growing chicks do not fall out of the nest.
As observations have shown, the free (second) nest is not always empty. Over the same five years, it was twice occupied by a family of buzzards, living peacefully with their distant relatives - hawks.
The mother hawk, probably the very first of the local birds, begins to change its old, worn plumage for new ones already in April. Lying on the nest, she plucks out small fluffs and floats them in the wind, as if having fun. A few fluffs will definitely get caught on the twigs of the building. It is by these fluffs that one can unmistakably guess that there is a hen in the nest - one cannot scare her away. The feathers are larger, and the largest ones are flight feathers; they rarely fall under the nest, at the foot of the tree. The female pulls them out, flying to the side. The father hawk begins to molt a little later and loses its feathers anywhere.
The female is the keeper and protector of the nest. This is a tall and strong bird. (When the couple is together, the hawk next to her seems like a teenage bird.) The female inseparably lives with the chicks. She feeds them with what the male brings from hunting. The mother puts pieces of meat in everyone’s mouth, and swallows the pieces with bones herself. When the chicks begin to grow feathers, she sits aside all day, looking after them, but does not interfere in their affairs. If hooded crows discover a nest of hawks nearby, the mother decisively diverts their attention from her children. To do this, she flies to the top of the birch tree to be more visible, and all the fury of the crows, who saw one of the most sworn enemies of their kind, falls on her. No matter how hard the crows try to strike her, she, sitting still, dodges them just as easily as in flight. At such moments, one cannot help but admire her courage and maternal dedication in front of two or three dozen raging crows.
Goshawks are silent even among predators. The male, having brought the prey, quietly calls the female to take it. If the inhabitants of the nest are in danger, its whooping can be heard better behind the trees. But when the young leave the nest, all other bird voices are drowned out by the cries of the hawk family. Fledglings must be fed, and protected, and warned, and taught to hunt. That is why goshawks nest so early in order to have time to teach young hawks the generic techniques of hunting the inexperienced and imprudent young of other birds. And at the end of June - beginning of July, any forest, any grove is literally teeming with them.
Sparrowhawk. Reproduction: builds small nests without green branches on low trees. The nest is built every year and, as a rule, not far from the old one. The female lays 5 eggs, but there is not enough food for all the chicks.
Quite often, at the end of spring and at the beginning of summer, people relaxing in the forest stumble upon a chick of a bird of prey sitting on a branch or ground, and even more often an owlet. Sometimes this found “live toy” is taken home. After playing with it for a day or two, they start calling zoos, nurseries and other organizations to donate it. Some people also want to get money for it. It also happens that the “rescued” chick was so tortured and fed something that it is no longer possible to help it.
What to do if you find a bird of prey chick?
If you find a bird of prey chick, take a closer look at where it is. Usually, the chicks of birds of prey and owls leave their nests, not yet able to fly, and scatter along the branches or on the ground near the nest. Parents fly up to each one separately, as a rule, first to the most noisy one, i.e. the hungriest one, and they feed him.
Hawks and buzzards leave nests with half-grown tails. The owls are still wearing down jackets. The nests of harriers (except short-eared owls) and short-eared owls are located on the ground. Their chicks also scatter.
If a bird of prey chick sits on a branch or stump, then this is normal and there is no need to touch it.
- If a raptor chick sits on the ground in weeds or nettle thickets, in a field in the grass, inside a bush - this is also normal.
The chick of a bird of prey nesting in a tree very rarely falls to the ground. This happens most often when the chick is already half-fledged and begins to jump over the branches near the nest and fly up. But such a chick will be able to climb on its own onto an inclined branch or stump, where its parents will feed it. Owls that have fallen to the ground climb up the tree using their beaks and claws, clinging to the unevenness of the bark, like parrots. Adult owls are usually nearby and attack humans, intimidating them by clicking their beaks. Predator birds on open place They fly restlessly and scream, and in the forest you can often just hear their alarming cry.
When can you save a bird of prey chick?
The reason for taking and actually saving a bird of prey chick is hooded crows. When you see them flying around with heart-rending screams and attacking someone, come and look. If the object of their attacks is a bird of prey chick, an owlet or some other bird, then, of course, it is better to take it away. Otherwise, he won’t live anyway, the crows will kill him. Morality and law diverge here. Legally you are a poacher, but morally you are a savior. The choice is yours.
The chick thus came to you. You don’t trust any rehabilitation centers or falconers, you decided to raise it yourself and return it to nature. What to do?
Feeding, maintaining and treating a bird of prey chick
Examination of a bird of prey chick
First of all, inspect the chick. You can carry it home either in a bag or in plastic bag, making something like a nest there from branches or grass. The bag or package must be opened to maintain air ventilation. If on a cool day in spring the chick is wet, carry it in your bosom and warm it up. You need to carry it carefully so as not to hit anything or crush it. Be sure to carefully examine the chick. You can tell that he is exhausted by the strongly protruding keel on his chest and general lethargy. Wounds, fractures, and dislocations are usually clearly visible. Open the beak and see if there is any white coating inside. Feel your stomach. You can determine whether a bird of prey chick was fed by its parents by feeling its crop, and the owlet’s belly.
How to give water to a bird of prey chick
After carefully examining the bird of prey chick, first give it something to drink. This can be done by carefully inserting a rubber or soft plastic tube into the beak, and then pouring water into it with your mouth, little by little. You need to pour it very carefully, making sure that the water goes into the crop (birds of prey) or stomach (owls) and the chick does not choke. It is better to force drink together. One holds, the other pours. How much should I pour? Do not overdo it. Depending on the size of the bird, it’s better to do it a little at a time in two or three doses.
Prepare a place to temporarily keep the chick. An ordinary spacious cardboard box, the bottom of which is lined with pieces of torn paper or newspaper, is well suited for this. This is done so that these pieces are mixed with the droppings and the chick does not get dirty. And sitting in such a box will be dry and soft for him. This bedding is replaced regularly. Use a knife to cut holes in the box for ventilation.
What to feed a bird of prey chick
Feed me. What and how to feed? The most frequently asked question. Of course, there is no need to give any sausage, lard, or bread, which is often done. Birds of prey and owls eat fresh meat. Usually the food supply is kept frozen. But you cannot give frozen cold meat. The meat needs to be thawed and warmed, and fed slightly warmed up, at least to room temperature. Before feeding in summer, in very hot weather, water should be added to the food. The simplest and most affordable food is veal. 1/10 of veal or beef liver is added to it. This should be cut into pieces depending on the size of the bird so that it is easy for it to swallow. Also add 1/10 - 1/16 part of undevit pills crushed into dust (per kilogram of weight) and ¼ part of glycerophosphate or calcium gluconate. Mix everything with the addition of a raw egg (you gain weight faster) and a piece of cotton wool the size of a knuckle. It's good to add a pinch of grated carrots. I worked on this composition a long time ago, and the chicks grew well on it. Meat base, i.e. veal, for various reasons, can be replaced with veal heart, chicken heads, day-old chicks, pigeons, crows, and, in extreme cases, chicken legs.
When feeding an exhausted chick for the first time, give the meat little by little, with water, finely chopped, and watch how the food is absorbed. The crop should disappear, and the chick should begin to perform its natural needs, shooting off droppings. If the goiter does not disappear, i.e. does not become smaller, you need to pour in sweetened tea with lemon juice using a syringe with a tube. This makes food digested better and the intestines work better.
If the chick does not begin to eat on its own before dusk, you need to force-feed it very carefully.
Worms in a bird of prey chick
Deworm it. In chicks, the presence of worms can be determined by bloating and general exhaustion, but more often this is not noticeable. Giving an anthelmintic to a severely malnourished chick right away is dangerous. You need to fatten it up first, for about a week. I usually gave Panacur based on weight, and no side effects were identified from its use. A good drug, but currently Panacur is practically not sold in veterinary pharmacies. In addition to Panacur, I used albendazole. For the last two years I have been giving Vermizola-10. Calculated by weight, I give the drug with food and repeat it after two weeks. If you do not find these drugs, consult a veterinary clinic or pharmacy. They will tell you what to do.
Lice on a bird of prey chick
Prevention of diseases in birds of prey chicks
Treat the bird of prey chick for prevention. The simplest, proven over the years and quite effective technique is the following. For four days in a row, per kilogram of bird weight, ¼ tablet of ampicillin, ¼ tablet of trichopolum and 1/16 undevit are given with food. After 10-14 days the course is repeated. After the first course of such treatment, the condition of the lethargic bird of prey chick improves, it becomes greedier.
Diseases of birds of prey
What diseases are most common in bird of prey chicks and can you identify and treat them yourself? Forcefully open the beak and see if there is a white coating inside. If so, then this or aspergillosis or trichomoniasis. Trichomoniasis (trichomoniasis) is easily treated with Trichopolum. Approximately ¼ tablet is given for four days per kilogram of bird weight and repeated after 10-14 days. Aspergillosis has virtually no cure. A bird with aspergillosis is usually doomed. If the white coating in the throat after the first course of treatment with Trichopolum begins to go away and the bird begins to eat with appetite, you are lucky, it will live. It was not aspergillosis, but trichomoniasis, and you cured it.
Wounds on birds of prey usually heal well. Sprinkle with streptocide and leave alone.
At tarsus fracture, if it is not possible to take it to a veterinarian, you can try to apply a splint yourself. If you have a hip fracture, this is much more difficult. Bird of prey with a broken wing practically doomed. Only highly qualified doctors in specialized veterinary hospitals can help in this case. Therefore, try to deliver a chick with a broken wing to such a hospital as quickly as possible. During any treatment, it is better to keep sick chicks in a box and disturb them less.
How to teach a bird of prey chick to catch prey
Teach a grown-up bird of prey chick to catch prey. You need to learn to grab something moving. It is not difficult. To do this, the chick must be healthy and strong. Healthy birds of prey have good appetites and are greedy. From the moment when the feathers on the tail grow halfway, you need to start giving the hawk carcasses of pigeons, rooks, and crows cut in half. If this is not the case, at least buy quails, grown up chickens or rats. On average, ten is enough. First, the hawk will learn to pluck and tear its “prey”. Having got used to doing this, and not waiting for you to place a piece in his open beak while he is screaming, he will gradually begin to grab this chopped carcass as it is dragged past him by the cord. Graduality is important here.
Where to release a bird of prey chick
Before releasing, make sure that the chick you raised can fly well and knows that it needs to grab something moving, i.e. grabs the carcass when you drag it. If the hawk does not yet know how to fly or flies poorly, it should not be released, but placed in some hawk’s nest with chicks. As a last resort, you can plant it in the nest of a buzzard or kite. Both of these birds feed their offspring well.
You need to release them where there is a lot of food and hawks nest. Otherwise, the chick will be doomed to starvation. Large landfills are best suited for this. Knowing how to fly well, your fosterling will easily hide in the nearest forest from the crows pursuing it. And the crows, accustomed to constantly seeing hawks flying along the edges of the forest adjacent to the landfill, do not really react to them. You will need to spend a day walking through the edges of the landfill. If the hawks nested near the landfill, you will hear the loud cries of the young ones from afar. They usually scream at the nest. You need to follow these screams and remember the place where they shouted. It is better to release the pet in the evening, fed to its fullest, in the place that you remember where the brood cried. In the morning, the hawk, when hungry, will easily find the nesting pair by the cries of the young and join it.
Describing what a hawk looks like, let's start with the fact that it is a warlike bird of prey that is associated with physical strength, dexterity and noble beauty. A keen eye, a powerful body and strong wings made this bird an unrivaled hunter, capable of quickly and accurately tracking down its prey, no matter where it was. In this article we will tell you what kind of life this unique bird leads, about the characteristics of its behavior and varieties.
The hawk belongs to the subclass of neopalatines, the order Accipitridae, and the family Accipitridae. There are several versions of the origin of the name of this bird. The first relates to his agility and speed in flight from the stem of the word astr. Literally the term translates as “a bird with a sharp look, flying quickly.” Another version is based on the variegated colors of the bird's plumage.
Hawks are 100% predators. But their size relative to other carnivorous birds is small. The goshawk is the largest species. Its weight is one and a half kilograms, and its body length does not exceed 70 cm. As for the other species - the sparrowhawk - its dimensions are much more modest. The bird's weight is only 120 grams, and its body length is 30 cm.
There is always plumage on the head and legs of hawks. The beak is typical for predators: short, powerful and curved towards the bottom. The birds' eyes are predominantly orange or yellow, with occasional reddish tints. The visual acuity of these birds is impressive. In terms of its indicators, it exceeds human vigilance eight times.
Distinctive features
In addition to excellent vision, birds also have a keen sense of smell. They accurately distinguish fresh meat from rotten meat and will never eat a spoiled, stale piece.
The hawk inhales smells not through its nostrils, but through its mouth. Therefore, a bird living in captivity that has received missing meat will certainly refuse it and throw it away.
The color of the plumage varies from brown to dark gray. The feathers have a transverse color, which gives a variegated effect. There are also hawks with plain light or white plumage. Such individuals are found in Kamchatka and the Northeast of our country.
The legs of birds are muscular and powerful. Dense sharp claws help the hawk securely capture prey and stay steady on the branches. The wings are short and blunt in shape. Their length in relation to the body is relatively small. The exception is song species. The bird's tail is wide, long, without points.
Such characteristics allow the predator to easily maneuver between branches while hunting and easily overcome obstacles.
The lifespan of hawks is 15-17 years.
Species and their habitats
There are 47 species of hawks. Among them:
- white;
- light;
- steppe;
- red;
- small;
- crested and others.
The most common of them are goshawks and sparrowhawks.
Lesser or sparrowhawks include six subspecies. These birds of prey live in the territory Western Europe, as well as in northern Africa to the Pacific Ocean.
The main population of sparrowhawks is recorded on the Scandinavian Peninsula and in Russia. They are found in forests, where they build a new nest on the branches of coniferous trees every year. Birds living in the Eastern Hemisphere of the planet fly to Asian countries for the winter. Their relatives from the Western Hemisphere go to Mexico;
Goshawks lead a sedentary lifestyle. They live in tropical jungles, savannas and other open areas. This species of hawk exhibits an undulating trajectory in flight.
Similarities and differences
Let's look at the similarities and differences between the main types of hawks.
The goshawk has an impressive body weight. The plumage color of females is darker than that of males. It varies from brown to dark gray. The chest, throat and belly are pockmarked, several tones lighter than the rest of the body. From a distance, goshawks resemble large female sparrowhawks. They are distinguished by the shape of their tail. The sparrowhawk opens its tail like a fan, while its relative has a rounded end.
Other birds of prey can be distinguished from a hawk by a number of characteristics. For example, a falcon has a sickle-shaped wings, a different structure of its beak and eyes. Even in the air, falcons move completely differently...
Differences with the kite: the kite's weaker legs, its pointed tail, long wings and elongated beak.
Differences between a hawk and an eagle: the eagle’s weight and body length are greater, its wings and tail are longer.
Food preferences
All species of hawks are forest hunters and meat eaters. Since their daily diet includes meat, their victims in the wild include:
- small and large birds;
- frogs;
- the bats;
- chickens, chickens;
- young rabbits and hares;
- fish;
- snakes;
- large insects.
It happens that a hawk attacks prey that is larger in size than the hunter himself.
The hawk lies in wait for the object, and then makes a sharp and unexpected attack. Powerful and tenacious paws capture the victim, both on the ground and in flight in the air. The predator kills its prey by squeezing it with its paws and then cutting it with sharp claws.
Despite obvious advantages, and the hawk has enemies who are capable of turning him into their food. These are martens, foxes and other carnivorous mammals.
Reproduction and offspring
Hawks are monogamous birds. These birds choose a partner and form a pair for life. When they start building a nest, they do it thoroughly. The nest is arranged one and a half to two months before mating begins. Hawks choose branches of coniferous or deciduous trees as a nesting site.
Eggs are laid once a year. Their number varies from two to six in one clutch. While the female incubates, the male takes on the role of breadwinner and guard. He brings food to the nest and for the next two weeks after the offspring emerge. The chicks are fed by the female. During this period, she sheds. For males, the process begins after the cubs finally leave the nest. Changing feathers does not affect the flight ability of birds.
Grown-up babies live with their parents for up to two months. After the young hawks become stronger, they fly away, leaving their parental home forever.
Hawks in captivity
These predators are not used to life in the city. Therefore, staying in an enclosed space (aviary, cage) causes severe stress in hawks. In general, keeping wild birds of prey at home is a complex and controversial process.
The hawk needs a lot of space and the opportunity to continue hunting. It is worth considering that a pet, even if tame, will not give up its gastronomic habits. He will still need fresh meat, which cannot be bought in a regular supermarket.
The diet of a domesticated hawk includes live rodents. They are sold in specialized pet stores.
Goshawk chicks require special food. Thus, a two-week-old baby feeds on the carcasses of sparrows, pigeons, rooks and crows. Before feeding, the meat is lightly sprayed with saline solution purchased at the pharmacy. The chick's feeding norm is one or two sparrow carcasses per day. The cubs are fed only during daylight hours.
Home care and health
An owner who does not follow the rules of feeding his formidable pet risks his health and life. Some people believe that meat bought from a store or market will suit the hawk. This mistake leads to poor digestion of the bird, a lack of valuable substances and a weakened immune system. As a result, there is loss of feathers, including the main ones, intestinal dysbiosis, apathy and decreased activity up to complete refusal of food. The use of minced meat prepared from lean varieties of meat is permissible only during the first month.
A hawk in captivity experiences great discomfort. For this reason, it is recommended to force feed her. The meat is brought directly to the beak, carefully opening it with your hands. The food is then slowly pushed down the throat. The main thing is that the pet does not bite the feeder and does not choke on food. After just a couple of days, the bird will adapt to the new conditions and there will be no problems with feeding. Otherwise, you will need to consult a veterinarian.
In the wild, hummingbird nests are found near hawk nesting sites. This bird is of no interest to them, while the proximity to a strong predator protects the fragile bird from its enemies: jays and squirrels.
An adult and strong hawk that has flown out of the nest will be considered a stranger by its parents when they try to approach it and will be driven away.
The soaring flight of a hawk is graceful and beautiful, despite its relatively short wings.
The hawk is merciless. While hunting, he destroys all targets he sees.
In Ancient Egypt and the Old World during the Middle Ages, deliberately killing a hawk was considered a criminal offense.
Harm and benefit
Hawks are considered birds that do more harm than good. They hunt poultry, destroy chicks, domestic rabbits and hares. For this, they were exterminated en masse in Russia and Europe several centuries ago. There was even a monetary reward for the capture and murder of the “criminals.” Such events in our country stopped only in the middle of the last century. It turned out that the imbalance led to a distortion of the situation in the ecosystem: with the destruction of birds of prey, populations of birds and animals that became their victims began to disappear.
It is known from history that hawks have long been considered an invariable attribute of hunting, where they even brought their owners big catch. They were valued at the royal court for their agility, keen eyesight, and ability for strategic maneuvers.
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It should be noted right away that almost all large species falcons living in Ukraine are listed in the Red Book. Therefore, it is prohibited for private individuals to keep them. The exception is falcons purchased from a specialized nursery that breeds these birds. A hawk can settle in your house only after permission has been received from the Ministry of Ecology and natural resources. A permit is issued to a specific person for a specific bird. In case of illegal possession of a falcon or hawk, the bird is confiscated from the culprit, and he himself is brought to justice as provided for current legislation. Therefore, everyone who wants to become a real falconer, first of all, must take care that his hobby does not conflict with the law. Despite the fact that a hawk is not as exotic as, say, a crocodile in a bathtub, its maintenance requires certain conditions and, most importantly, sufficient knowledge. Unfortunately, it also happens that, while sincerely wishing the best for his pet, a novice falconer causes him almost irreparable harm. What conditions must be met in order for the bird to feel comfortable in your home? Firstly, there must be a lot of free space and air. This does not mean that the hawk will fly around the apartment, but a low ceiling, a small room or a narrow corridor depresses it, because the natural habitat of this predator is forest spaces. Considering that at home the hawk usually sits on a special stand, fastened to it with a thin cord, it can be placed, for example, on a balcony. Naturally, contact of the bird with neighbors or “well-wishers” should be completely excluded. The stand itself, as a rule, is a very stable and rather heavy structure, vaguely reminiscent of a glass, the upper part of which is made of a fairly soft material. It is comfortable for a hawk to sit on such a stand; he cannot turn it over, much less fly away with it. Birds achieve absolute calm by wearing a hood. This elegant piece of equipment is made of leather and is a cross between an intricate knight's helmet and a tankman's headdress. In a hood, the hawk not only sleeps peacefully while at home, but the bird can be transported in it in transport.
Secondly, the issue of proper feeding of your pupil is vital. In nature, the basis of its diet is small rodents and small birds: crows, pigeons, rooks, partridges, etc. It is strictly contraindicated to approach the issue of its nutrition with “universal human” standards - not only the food from your table, but also the consumption of raw beef, not to mention pork, is harmful and leads to diseases and the inevitable death of the bird. Whenever the slightest problem With regard to the health of your feathered friend, you should immediately contact a veterinarian who specializes in treating birds. The main signs of the disease are lethargy, frizz, sticky plumage, and significant loss of feathers.
Thirdly, “cohabitation” presupposes training, or more precisely, accustoming the hawk to a person. The previous issue of the magazine already described the processes of carrying out and preparing for the hunt. It should be repeated that in this matter both purely physical help from like-minded friends and advice from experienced falconers are needed. In order for the hawk to be in good shape, after completing training, it is given the opportunity to fly independently during walks and while hunting. The walking route should be carefully thought out so that your pet does not catch the local property manager’s favorite kitten somewhere near the entrance and cause disturbance to others.
Often keeping a hawk is based not only on a great love for flying predators, but also on a completely prosaic interest - using it as a hunter's assistant. In this case, you need to know the following: he will help until he learns that, regardless of the results of the hunt, upon returning to the glove he will receive his piece of meat. Therefore, a hawk is usually hunted for no more than five years, and then released into the wild.
The main thing that every novice falconer must clearly understand is that the world of birds lives according to its own laws and customs, which do not coincide at all with the norms of human behavior. A hawk will never look at life through the eyes of a person or obey him unquestioningly. Only an understanding of bird psychology, based on deep knowledge and experience, opens the way to success.
Keeping any animal makes the owner responsible for the fate of his pet. At the same time, having decided to get a dog or cat, we can roughly imagine the range of problems that we will have to face. In the situation with a bird of prey, the situation is much more complicated, and no associations with a canary or budgerigar inappropriate here. The decision should be based not on an emotional impulse that arose under the influence of just “I want”, but on a real assessment of one’s capabilities. Well, if, after carefully weighing all the pros and cons, you still decide that there will be a hawk in your house - good luck and prosperity to you, Mr. future falconer.