Hawks form monogamous pair bonds that can last for many years. When a hawk’s mate dies, the surviving hawk must adapt to life as a single bird. This can be a challenging transition, as the hawk has lost its partner in raising young, hunting, and defending territory. However, hawks have developed behavioral strategies for coping with the loss of a mate.
Do hawks find a new mate?
In most cases, hawks will eventually seek out and accept a new mate after the death of their previous partner. However, the time frame for finding a new mate varies by species. Some considerations include:
- Breeding season – Hawks may be more motivated to find a new mate quickly if it is breeding season and they want to raise young that year.
- Availability of mates – Abundant food sources and habitat for nesting will increase the likelihood of finding a new mate.
- Age and breeding status – Younger hawks or hawks that have not bred before may be quicker to find a new mate than older, experienced breeders.
- Territory issues – Hawks will be defensive of an established territory, and a new mate may need time to gain acceptance.
Some hawk species, such as red-tailed hawks, will begin courtship with a new mate almost immediately after the death of their previous mate. Others, like the northern goshawk, may take several years before accepting a new partner.
How do hawks select a new mate?
Hawks go through elaborate courtship rituals and displays to attract and assess potential new mates. Considerations in selecting a mate include:
- Health and fitness – Hawks will choose the healthiest, strongest mate possible to give them the best chance of successful breeding.
- Compatible personality – Some compatibility between personalities is important for pair bonding.
- Good provider – The mate must be a skilled hunter able to provide food for the nest.
- Strong defender – The mate must help defend the nesting territory from intruders.
- Genetic diversity – Hawks avoid mating with close relatives to maintain genetic diversity.
Courtship activities like aerial displays, gift giving exchanges, and coordinated duets help hawks evaluate prospective mates on these criteria before cementing the pair bond.
Do hawks mourn the loss of a mate?
It is difficult to ascertain emotional responses in hawks, but they do display behavioral changes after the loss of a mate that may indicate a mourning period. Some signs that a hawk is mourning include:
- Initial lack of interest in a new mate
- Spending more time alone
- Loss of appetite
- Interacting less with other hawks
- Abandoning the nest
- Unusual vocalizations
The length of mourning varies greatly but eventually most hawks will resume normal activities and become receptive to a new mate. However, some hawks may mourn for extended periods, especially if the previous mate was a longtime partner.
Do both male and female hawks find new mates?
Generally, yes. Both male and female hawks will seek out new mates after the death of their partner. However, there are a few nuances:
- Males tend to begin displaying to attract a new mate sooner than females.
- In species where males are significantly smaller than females, the male may have a harder time finding a new mate.
- Young females may be more desired by males than older females.
- If it is brooding season, a female with eggs may quickly accept a new male rather than abandon the nest.
But in most cases, both males and females will eventually accept a new mate and move on to breeding again. The continuance of the species depends on it!
Do hawks ever have more than one mate?
Most hawk species are strictly monogamous, having only one mate at a time. However, some exceptions include:
- Polygyny – In a few species like the Harris’s hawk, one male may mate with several females.
- Serial monogamy – Hawks that lose a mate mid-season may quickly accept a new mate just for that breeding season.
- Mate poaching – A lone hawk may attempt to lure away or steal a mated hawk from its partner.
But the majority of hawks focus their courtship displays and bonding rituals on one mate at a time. Having multiple mates would make it difficult to collaborate in raising young and defending territory.
Do mated hawks interact with each other outside of breeding season?
Yes, hawks maintain their pair bond year-round, not just during breeding season. Some ways mated hawks interact outside of breeding include:
- Hunting together to capture larger or more challenging prey.
- Defending their territory from intrusions by other hawks.
- Roosting close together at night and migrating together.
- Preening each other’s feathers for cleaning and bonding.
- Sharing food with their mate when one captures prey.
- Vocal duets and aerial displays to maintain the pair bond.
These pair maintenance activities are important to strengthen the social bond and ensure coordination when the next breeding season arrives.
How does the surviving hawk behave during breeding season after its mate dies?
Losing a mate just before or during breeding season is an especially challenging situation for a hawk. Some of the behaviors exhibited may include:
- Delaying egg laying or abandoning a clutch since raising young alone is difficult.
- Quickly accepting a new mate in order to breed that season.
- Attacking or driving off intruders more aggressively while defending the nest alone.
- Intensified vocalizations to attract a new mate to the territory.
- Continuing to incubate eggs or care for hatchlings alone as best it can.
- Neglecting grooming, feeding, and nest maintenance due to depression.
Much depends on the timing of the death, the species of hawk, and population density around the territory. But a surviving hawk will instinctively do what it can to promote breeding success that season.
Do hawks reuse the same nest with a new mate?
Generally yes, hawks will reuse an existing nest with a new mate, rather than build an entirely new nest from scratch each time. Benefits of reusing a nest include:
- Saves time and energy constructing a whole new nest.
- Takes advantage of a proven nest site that has already brought breeding success.
- Allows the new mate to inspect the nest and propose any improvements.
- Provides territorial familiarity for the surviving hawk.
However, a hawk may abandon a former nest if the site holds too many memories of their previous mate. Or if a severe storm or predator attack damages the nest, rebuilding may be required. But most often, rebuilding the partnership means refurbishing the former nest.
Do hawks remember and pine for their previous mates once paired with a new mate?
It is difficult to ascertain the extent of emotive memories in hawks. However, there are some indications that hawks may retain memories of a previous lost mate:
- Distress calls from a hawk that has lost its mate.
- A long mourning period before accepting a new mate.
- Repeated returns to a former nest site.
- Unusual aggression towards a new mate.
- Initially declining food offered by a new mate.
- Possible depression and lethargy after the mate’s death.
However, most behaviors suggest hawks are evolutionarily programmed to accept a new mate and move forward with breeding again, even if memories of the former mate linger. With a new bonded partner, normal behaviors generally resume.
Conclusion
The death of a mate represents a major life transition for a hawk. By necessity, hawks have adapted mourning rituals and courtship behaviors that allow them to process their loss and eventually accept a new mate. This ensures that breeding and the all-important transfer of genes to the next generation continues. Though the grief process varies by individual, most hawks find the resilience to rebuild their partnership and thrive again. Their mating rituals provide poignant insights into the cycles of life, death and renewal.