Red-shouldered hawks are medium-sized raptors found throughout eastern and coastal North America. They have distinctive reddish bars on their shoulders when perched. Red-shouldered hawks breed in spring and summer, with the young hatching in May or June and staying with their parents for an extended period before dispersing in the fall.
Nesting Period
Red-shouldered hawks nest in trees, often choosing tall hardwood trees near water. The female lays a clutch of 3-4 eggs which she incubates for about a month while the male brings her food. After hatching, the chicks are brooded and fed by the parents in the nest for 4-5 weeks. They grow quickly, gaining their flight feathers around 6 weeks old.
Fledging
Red-shouldered hawk chicks typically fledge (leave the nest) when they are 6-7 weeks old. The first flights of the young hawks are awkward and rarely far. They remain close to the nest, perfecting their flying skills while still begging the parents for food. Fledglings will follow the adults around closely, giving loud begging calls until fed.
Dependency Period
Once able to fly competently, the fledged juvenile hawks are still dependent on their parents for food. The adults continue to do all the hunting, providing prey for the young. The juveniles beg loudly for food when the parents return. This dependency period when the young are learning to hunt on their own lasts for 6-10 weeks after fledging.
Dispersal from the Parents
By late summer or early fall, around 12-16 weeks after hatching, the juvenile red-shouldered hawks will have dispersed from their parents’ territory. Dispersal from the parental territory happens once the young hawks are self-feeding and no longer require provisioning by the adults. The juveniles will wander away to establish their own territories for the winter.
Timing of Dispersal
The timing of dispersal by juvenile red-shouldered hawks varies based on geographic location and food availability. In northern parts of their range, young hawks may stay with parents longer and disperse later. Abundant food sources allow them to remain in the parental territory. Farther south, earlier dispersal is more common. Here are some average timelines for dispersal:
- Southern populations: 12-14 weeks after hatching
- Northern populations: 14-16 weeks after hatching
Reasons for Dispersal
Juvenile red-shouldered hawks likely leave their parents’ territory for a few key reasons:
- Parents reduce food provisioning, forcing young to hunt alone
- Offspring begin competing with parents for food
- Young hawks’ aggression toward siblings increases
- Parents become more territorial and drive young away
By fall, the presence of nearly full-grown hawks crowds the territory and leads to dispersal. The parents may harass lingering juveniles to encourage them to move on.
First Year of Life
After dispersing in the fall, juvenile red-shouldered hawks set out to establish a winter home range. Their chances of surviving that first year are only around 50%. The young birds face many hazards, including food shortages, bad weather, and conflicts with territorial adults. Finding enough food is especially challenging, as their hunting skills are still developing.
Establishing a Territory
In their first spring, surviving young red-shouldered hawks will establish a breeding territory. They will mate and build nests, but may not lay eggs until their second year. Most red-shouldered hawks breed for the first time at age two or three. Once they obtain a territory, pairs may remain together for many years, often reusing or repairing the same nest.
Lifespan in the Wild
If a red-shouldered hawk survives to adulthood and establishes a breeding territory, they may live 12-15 years in the wild on average. The oldest known wild red-shouldered hawk was over 19 years old. With such a high mortality rate for young birds, many do not make it nearly that long.
Comparison to Other Buteos
How long juvenile red-shouldered hawks remain with parents and timing of dispersal is generally similar to related woodland buteos. Here’s a comparison with two other common North American species:
Red-tailed Hawk
- Fledge at 6-7 weeks
- Dependence until 8-10 weeks
- Dispersal at 12-16 weeks
Broad-winged Hawk
- Fledge at 5-6 weeks
- Dependence until 10-11 weeks
- Dispersal at 12-16 weeks
These timeframes highlight the pattern of an extended post-fledging dependency of 10-11 weeks on average. The overall period from hatching to dispersal lasts about 3-4 months for these buteos.
Factors Influencing Independence
Several factors likely influence how quickly a juvenile red-shouldered hawk gains independence from its parents:
Prey Availability
Abundant food resources may lead to a longer dependency period and later dispersal, as the parents can provide for both themselves and offspring.
Number of Siblings
More siblings may intensify competition for food from parents, forcing earlier independence.
Predation Pressure
Heavy pressure from predators may force juveniles to flee the natal territory earlier.
Parental Aggression
More aggressive parents may harass young sooner to drive them off.
Territory Quality
Lower quality habitat may not support juveniles as long, spurring earlier dispersal.
Weather/Migration
Colder weather and migration instincts may initiate dispersal.
Conclusion
In summary, baby red-shouldered hawks remain with their parents for an extended period after fledging. They depend on the adults for food for 6-10 weeks after leaving the nest. Dispersal from their parents’ territory occurs around 12-16 weeks after hatching, by late summer or early fall. Juvenile red-shouldered hawks face high mortality rates in their first year away from their parents. If they survive to adulthood, they may establish breeding territories and live over a decade in the wild.