The Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) is a medium-sized hawk that is native to the southwestern United States and much of Central and South America. These social birds are known for their distinctive vocalizations that they use to communicate with each other.
Primary Calls
The Harris’s hawk has several typical vocalizations that it uses in various social contexts. Some of the most common Harris’s hawk calls include:
Alarm Call
The alarm call is a loud, high-pitched “klee-uk” noise that Harris’s hawks make when warning others about potential danger. This call is often made by adult hawks when they want to alert juveniles or other hawks to possible predators or other threats in the area. The alarm call serves to put the other hawks on high alert.
Begging Call
Juvenile Harris’s hawks will make a “keee-uck” begging call when they are requesting food from adult hawks. It is a loud, piercing call that gets the attention of the adults and lets them know the youngster is hungry. This high-pitched vocalization is often repeated frequently and insistently until the juveniles are fed by the adult birds.
Contact Call
Harris’s hawks use a “klee-uk klee-uk klee-uk” contact call to locate other individuals and confirm each other’s presence. This call is made in a series composed of short, sharp notes. The contact call allows hawks to keep track of where other members of their group are and helps them stick together.
Non-Vocal Sounds
In additional to vocalizations, Harris’s hawks can produce some non-vocal sounds:
Bill Clapping
One interesting sound that Harris’s hawks sometimes make is a bill clapping noise. They produce this rattling sound by quickly opening and closing their beaks. This functions as a threat display to intimidate or express aggression towards other hawks or potential competitors. The bill clapping behavior serves as a warning to back off.
Wing Clapping
Harris’s hawks also generate a loud clapping sound with their wings when engaging in aerial displays or chasing prey. In flight, they will clap their wings together over their backs to make a crisp, accented clapping sound. This wing clapping attracts attention and communictes acitivty in the area.
When Do Harris’s Hawks Vocalize?
Harris’s hawks use their various calls and non-vocal sounds in the following contexts:
- Alarm call – When warning others of potential threats
- Begging call – When juveniles request food from adults
- Contact call – To locate other hawks and confirm presence
- Bill clapping – As a threat or aggression display
- Wing clapping – During aerial pursuits and displays
The most frequent vocalizations are the contact calls that help the hawks stick close together. Begging calls are also very common in groups with juveniles. Alarm and aggression vocalizations are used more sporadically as needed.
What Does a Harris’s Hawk Sound Like?
Here are some key points describing Harris’s hawk vocalizations:
- Loud, piercing calls
- High-pitched kee-uk, klee-uk sounds
- Short, sharp notes in repetitive series
- Juvenile begging is insistent and repetitive
- Bill clapping makes a rattling, cracking sound
- Wing clapping produces loud, accented slap
Harris’s hawk calls are often described as harsh, grating, and strident. Their vocalizations are higher-pitched and more piercing compared to some other hawks due to their smaller size. The sounds are optimized to be audible over distances to communicate within their social groups.
Harris’s Hawk Call Examples
To help give a better sense of these vocalizations, here are some example videos of Harris’s hawk calls:
Alarm Call
Begging Call
Contact Call
These videos help illustrate the loud, high-pitched nature of many Harris’s hawk vocalizations used for communication within the flocks. The alarm calls indicate a sharp urgency, while the begging calls have an unmistakable pleading quality.
Conclusion
Harris’s hawks produce a range of vocalizations and non-vocal sounds for essential communication. Their calls are described as piercing, grating, and insistent, optimized for long-distance transmission between members of their social groups. Alarm calls indicate threats, begging calls request food, and contact calls help the hawks coordinate their activities and stick together. Bill clapping and wing clapping add to their repertoire of sounds used for displays and communication. Understanding the sounds of Harris’s hawks provides insight into their social behaviors and interactions.
