The sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a small bird of prey found throughout North America. Despite their small size, weighing just 3-8 ounces, sharp-shinned hawks are fierce predators that prey on songbirds and other small birds. However, sharp-shinned hawks have predators of their own that they must watch out for. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the main predators that eat sharp-shinned hawks.
Birds of Prey
Other birds of prey are one of the top predators of sharp-shinned hawks. Larger hawks and falcons will prey on sharp-shinned hawks, especially their eggs and nestlings.
Some specific bird predators include:
Northern Goshawks
The northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is a larger relative of the sharp-shinned hawk. These powerful hawks can take down adult sharp-shinned hawks as well as raid their nests.
Great Horned Owls
As nocturnal hunters, great horned owls (Bubo virginianus) are a threat to sharp-shinned hawks that are roosting overnight or nesting. The owls will prey on both adult hawks and nestlings.
Peregrine Falcons
The fast-flying peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is known to hunt other bird species and can also take sharp-shinned hawks in mid-air.
Red-Tailed Hawks
Red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) are larger and more powerful than sharp-shinned hawks. They will kill and eat sharp-shins of any age.
Mammals
In addition to birds, some mammalian predators will eat sharp-shinned hawks as well. These include:
Raccoons
Raccoons are known to raid bird nests for eggs and chicks. They can climb trees to reach sharp-shinned hawk nests and eat the eggs or nestlings.
Foxes
Foxes are opportunistic predators and will eat sharp-shinned hawks if they can catch them on the ground. They may also climb trees to reach nests.
Coyotes
Coyotes are a major threat to ground-nesting sharp-shinned hawks. The adults, eggs, and chicks are vulnerable.
Bobcats
Like coyotes, bobcats will prey on adult sharp-shinned hawks nesting on the ground and eat the eggs and chicks.
Weasels
Smaller mammals like weasels can climb trees and raid nests, eating sharp-shinned hawk eggs.
Reptiles
A few predatory reptiles will also eat sharp-shinned hawks. These include:
Rat Snakes
These expert climbers raid nests and eat eggs and nestlings.
Raccoon
Raccoons also target nests and are effective nest predators.
Threats at Different Life Stages
Different sharp-shinned hawk life stages face different levels of threat from predators:
Eggs
Eggs are vulnerable to many predators including birds, mammals, and reptiles that raid nests. Common nest predators include raccoons, snakes, crows, jays, and owls.
Nestlings
Nestling sharp-shinned hawks have more defenses than eggs but cannot yet fly away from danger. Nest raiders like raccoons, bobcats, foxes, weasels, and snakes will eat defenseless nestlings.
Fledglings
Newly fledged sharp-shinned hawks are gaining flight skills but are still vulnerable on the ground to foxes, coyotes, bobcats and other fast predators. Their flight skills also are not match for more powerful raptors.
Adults
Adult sharp-shinned hawks are less vulnerable than the young. However, they still face threats from larger raptors like goshawks, great horned owls, and peregrine falcons who can overpower them in flight. Sharp-shins are also still susceptible to predators like foxes or bobcats when on the ground.
Defense Mechanisms
Sharp-shinned hawks have some adaptations to help defend against predators:
– Camouflaged plumage – their brown barred plumage helps them blend into trees and vegetation, avoiding detection.
– Aggressive mobbing – sharp-shins will mob potential predators near their nests by diving at them.
– Nest defense – adults defend the nest and attack approaching predators.
– Hidden nests – nests are often well-concealed in dense vegetation which helps avoid predators.
– Nest relocation – if a nest fails due to predation, sharp-shins may re-nest at a new, more hidden site.
– Sacrificial first nest – early nests tend to fail more often, possibly sacrificing them to predators while improving later nest success.
Predator Population Impacts
The populations of common sharp-shinned hawk predators like raccoons, skunks, crows, and jays can influence localized sharp-shinned hawk nest success and populations.
Abundant predator populations allow them to find more sharp-shinned hawk nests. Declines in hawk populations can then follow. Conservation measures like predator control and monitoring help regulate predator numbers and reduce impacts to sharp-shinned hawks.
Importance of Predation
While predation obviously negatively impacts individual sharp-shinned hawks, it is a natural process that serves the overall ecosystem.
Predation helps regulate prey populations like songbirds that sharp-shinned hawks depend on. It prevents overpopulation and helps maintain balance across food chains.
Predators like raptors and snakes also depend on sharp-shinned hawks as a food source. Maintaining biodiversity requires complex predator-prey relationships.
Some predation of sharp-shinned hawks can indicate a healthy, functioning ecosystem. Extensive predator control can actually harm ecosystems more than limited hawk losses.
Human Impacts on Predation
Human activities influence predation rates on sharp-shinned hawks:
– Habitat loss – reducing nesting sites and increasing nest vulnerability.
– Introduction of non-native predators – domestic cats kill billions of birds annually.
– Fragmentation – breaking habitat into smaller patches favorable for nest predators.
– Climate change – altering prey populations, predator ranges, and nesting phenology.
– Toxins – poisons accumulate up food chains and impact raptor health.
– Disturbance – human activity near nests can increase predation risk.
Conclusion
Sharp-shinned hawks occupy an important ecological niche as predators of smaller birds. However, they also fall prey to a range of natural predators including larger raptors, mammals like raccoons and foxes, and reptiles like rat snakes. Different life stages face different predation threats, though eggs and nestlings are most vulnerable. Sharp-shinned hawks have some defensive strategies but predation still impacts individuals and populations. Yet predation is a natural process important to ecosystem health. Humans exacerbate certain threats but some level of predation loss is normal and sustainable. Overall, the sharp-shinned hawk persists as a vital raptor species despite the constant danger from predators eager to take advantage of these small but fierce accipiters.
