Red-tailed hawks are a common hawk species found throughout most of North America. They are large, stocky hawks with broad, rounded wings and a short, fanned tail. Red-tails are most known for their reddish-brown tail, which gives them their name. But do these widespread raptors fly together in groups?
In short, red-tailed hawks are generally considered solitary birds and do not fly in coordinated groups like many other bird species. However, red-tails, especially younger hawks, may occasionally be seen soaring together during migration or congregating at food sources. But these gatherings tend to be temporary and loose, without complex social structures binding the hawks together.
Read on to learn more about red-tailed hawk grouping behaviors and why they mostly fly solo:
Do Red-Tailed Hawks Migrate in Groups?
During their spring and fall migrations between breeding and wintering grounds, red-tailed hawks often take advantage of thermals and updrafts to help carry them over long distances. Groups of red-tails may be spotted soaring together in the same air currents during migration. However, these groupings appear to be opportunistic and temporary rather than coordinated flocking.
The hawks are simply using the same localized conditions to aid their individual journeys. They are not purposefully flying together in cohesive flocks. Studies tracking migrating red-tails have found they may break off from soaring groups at any time and do not maintain consistent associations with specific individuals over long distances.
Notable Migration Gatherings
Some specific sites along migration routes attract large numbers of passing red-tailed hawks each season. Well-known hawk watching spots like Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania report tallying thousands of red-tails during peak migration. Yet even at these hotspots, the hawk gatherings are generally loose and transient. The birds do not demonstrate the flocking behaviors seen in other migratory species like geese or Monarch butterflies.
Do Red-Tailed Hawks Roost Together?
During the non-breeding season, groups of red-tailed hawks may roost communally at night. But unlike highly social roosting species like crows, red-tail roosts only form temporarily in areas with abundant food. There appears to be little social cohesion binding the hawks together.
These winter roosts can range from small groups of a dozen hawks to larger aggregations of 100 or more. Younger hawks under 3 years old make up most red-tail roosting flocks. In parts of California and Arizona, thousands of migrating red-tails may roost together in certain winters. But large roosts quickly dissolve as food resources change.
Roost Formation and Function
Red-tailed hawks likely come together at communal roosts for some combination of the following factors:
- Thermoregulation – hawks can conserve body heat by roosting together
- Predator protection – more eyes watching for potential threats
- Food source information – follows others to good feeding areas
Yet there is little evidence of repeated social interactions or mate bonding at red-tail roosts. Most red-tails appear to be just temporarily exploitingprime habitat and roosting conditions.
Do Red-Tailed Hawks Hunt Together?
It is uncommon to see groups of red-tailed hawks cooperatively hunting together. Their prey capture strategy does not really lend itself to teamwork. Red-tails primarily employ perch-hunting techniques, sitting patiently on an elevated perch and swooping down on unsuspecting prey on the ground below.
Sometimes multiple red-tails may stake out vantage points in the same general area if there is abundant prey. But they will hunt independently without coordination. Each hawk is looking out for its own interests, not purposefully working with others.
Opportunistic Feeding Groups
Red-tailed hawks will, however, congregate at rich food sources like landfills when prey populations decline in winter. Up to a hundred red-tails may be seen feeding at large dumps. Yet there is little indication these momentary feeding aggregations involve extensive social interactions or lead to lasting bonds between individuals.
This opportunistic mobbing behavior is likely driven by hunger rather than sociality. The normally territorial hawks tolerate each other briefly to take advantage of a temporary abundance of food.
Do Mated Red-Tailed Hawks Fly and Hunt Together?
Red-tailed hawks generally do not coordinate hunting or flying activities with their mates. Here is a summary of how mated red-tail pairs interact:
- They remain on separate territories year-round
- Little interactive courtship behavior once paired
- Males attend nest less once eggs laid
- Male provides some food to female and young
- But largely hunt independently even during breeding
So while red-tail pairs may nest in the same general area, they act as individuals not a team. Each bird hunts and flies solo, coming together only briefly for mating and nesting purposes.
Red-Tail Interactions at the Nest
| Nesting Stage | Male Involvement and Interactions |
|---|---|
| Courtship | Some aerial displays, but limited compared to other raptors |
| Incubation | Female does 90% of incubating |
| Brooding | Female broods young almost exclusively |
| Nestling period | Male assists in food provisioning |
| Fledging | Both parents feed and teach fledglings |
Why Don’t Red-Tailed Hawks Fly in Groups?
Red-tailed hawks are highly territorial, and this is likely the main reason they do not form social flocks and communal groups. They each stake out their own hunting domain and defend it aggressively against other red-tails.
Here are some key facts about red-tail territoriality:
- Breeding pairs defend up to 6 square miles
- Single hawks may defend up to 2 square miles in winter
- Actively chase away intruders from territory
- Mark territory boundaries with warning calls
This territorial nature reduces opportunities for prolonged interactions and relationship building with other hawks that could lead to flock formation. Solitary existence allows each red-tail to maximize its access to prey within its territory.
Food Resources Impact Grouping
When food is scarce, red-tails become more tolerant of others briefly. But they return to solitary hunting when resources rebound. This shows their strong territoriality is adapted for optimizing food consumption, not sociality.
How Do Red-Tailed Hawks Interact at Feeders and Nests?
Occasionally small groups of red-tailed hawks may congregate at bird feeders or nest sites. But even in these situations there is limited social bonding or cooperation between the hawks.
Interactions at Feeders
| Observation | Explanation |
|---|---|
| 3-4 red-tails jostling for position at a well-stocked feeder | Opportunistic feeding driven by hunger, not social cooperation |
| One hawk feeds while others wait in trees nearby | Not coordinated actions, just tolerating proximity temporarily |
| Aggressive displays toward each other | Shows feeder is within multiple hawks’ territories |
Interactions at Nest Sites
| Observation | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Helper red-tails bring food to nest | Probably grown offspring from prior years, not unrelated hawks |
| Nest in group territory | Nesting pair still maintains its own distinct territory |
| Communal winter roost near nest | Roost temporary based on food availability, not kinship |
How Else Do Red-Tailed Hawks Interact?
While red-tailed hawks are primarily solitary, their interactions are not always antagonistic. Here are some other red-tail social behaviors:
Vocalizations
- Calls used to defend territories and attract mates
- Mates may perform duets
- Young beg for food from parents with squealing calls
Body Language Cues
- Display diving and aerial acrobatics
- High soaring shows domain over territory
- Drooped wings and waving to appeal to mates
Nest Helper Behavior
- Older offspring occasionally assist parents at nest
- Might provision younger siblings with food
- Appears driven by kin selection not sociality
Mobbing Predators
- May harass potential predators like owls near nest
- Limited coordination or contribution by each hawk
- Defensive behavior to protect young, not social
Conclusion
In summary, red-tailed hawks are predominantly solitary birds. They may temporarily congregate in loose groups when migrating, feeding, or roosting. But these gatherings appear to be opportunistic assemblies driven by environmental factors like food availability rather than social bonding.
The red-tail’s territorial nature prevents extended interactions with conspecifics that could lead to flock formation and cooperative group behaviors. Their solo flying and hunting strategy optimized over evolution reflects their lifestyle priorities of territoriality and resource acquisition over sociality.
