Hawks are birds of prey

Hawks are birds of prey. They are found throughout the world, except in the Polar regions. They vary greatly in size and appearance, but all have a pointed, down-curving bill, sharp, strong talons and large wings with rounded tips, observes Nutan Shukla

CRANE hawk, which belongs to Central and South America along with two species of harrier — hawk of Africa — form a group of woodland hawks which has a unique adaptation for catching prey, unheard of any other bird. Middle joints (tarsal) of their legs are such that the legs can bend either way. This adaptation is most beneficial for the bird when it is searching for prey in the difficult and awkward crevices in rocks or tree trunks. While doing this these birds are usually seen in most unusual positions such as hanging upside down or bending sideways. Their food includes small reptiles, like lizards, eggs and nestlings of other birds and other animals like frogs.

Another bird, Cooper’s hawk, a cousin of crane hawk, found in the woodland habitats of North America from Canada south to Mexico, employs a mixture of skill, speed and trickery while hunting. It uses natural cover, like big cats do, to get closer to the prey. While doing this it swoops in low, using every possible object like tree stump, stone or bush to conceal itself.

Sometimes, while the birds are hiding in a bush, it uses the method of frightening them out of their cover. A species of sparrow hawk, Cooper’s hawk, flies straight towards a bush, which frightens the birds hiding in it and they start running helter-skelter. The hawk as it reaches the bush dodges sideways at the last minute, dashing round to the far side and catches the bird which first comes out in the open.

Females of these hawks are much larger than the males. They pray upon the birds as big as grouse while males do not go beyond the size of starlings or blackbirds.

Hawks are birds of prey. They are found throughout the world, except in the polar regions. They vary greatly in size and appearance, but all have pointed, down-curving bill, sharp, strong talons and large wings with rounded tips. Hawks feed on a wide variety of animals, such as reptiles, fish, insects and small mammals. They have very good eyesight and swoop down on their prey from high up in the air.

Another cousin, the bat hawk, is the only known bird of prey which specialises in bat-hunting. Found in the rainforests of New Guinea, Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, and in tropical Africa, it is also unique in the sense that it does not carry its prey in its talons, like hawks do. Instead it carries in its bill, like owls.

Buzzards are another group of birds of prey, related to hawks. They are large birds with broad wings. They soar high in the sky, prefering wooded and hilly country. They feed on rabbits, mice and other small animals, and have a distinctive mewing cry.

The black-breasted buzzard, an Australian bird, is reputed to do the same exercise with emu eggs what Egyptian vulture does with ostrich eggs. Buzzards chases away the parent emu from the nest and then drops rocks on the eggs to break them open. Ostrich eggs are very large and tough. To break them open Egyptian vulture throws stones on it to get at the bonanza of nutritious yolk inside.

Honey buzzards feed mainly on the larvae of bees and wasps. To protect them from being stung by these insects, mother nature has provided them with stiff feathers on the face. They are medium-sized birds, which are mainly brown, but can be variable, with a barred tail. Found in Asia, Africa and Europe, some of these birds of prey have crested heads. They are the birds of woodland and nest in trees.

The males of honey buzzards alone discharge the duty of hatching the eggs following the death of the female. Both partners build large nest with twigs which they line with fresh green twigs and leaves. Usually the duty of incubating the eggs is shared by both the parents. Both parents feed the chicks.