The red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) is a large bird of prey found throughout most of North America. Their distinctive red tail gives them their common name. Red-tailed hawks exhibit unique and fascinating courtship behaviors as they seek out a mate each breeding season.
When does red-tailed hawk breeding season occur?
Red-tailed hawks generally begin their breeding season in late winter or early spring. The exact timing depends on their geographic location:
- In southern areas, breeding starts as early as February.
- In northern areas, breeding typically begins in March or April.
Courtship and nesting occurs earlier in warmer climates because of the earlier availability of prey species that the hawks rely on for food during the breeding season.
How do red-tailed hawks choose a mate?
Red-tailed hawks mate for life, so they want to choose the right partner. Courtship displays help them assess potential mates. Red-tailed hawks will often return to the same nesting site and mate year after year if their first breeding season was successful. However, if they fail to breed the first year, they may choose a new nesting site or mate the following year.
What courtship displays do red-tailed hawks use?
Red-tailed hawks use elaborate aerial displays and vocalizations to communicate during courtship. Some of their courtship behaviors include:
- Sky dancing: The male will perform an aerial display, diving and soaring in large loops and spirals high in the air.
- Ledgewalking: The male walks along a cliff ledge or branch while fanning his tail feathers.
- Bonding flights: The potential mates fly together, often performing acrobatic moves.
- Calls: The hawks make keening, high-pitched calls back and forth.
- Food exchanges: The male presents prey items to the female as gifts.
These courtship behaviors communicate fitness, strengthen the pair bond, and help the birds choose a mate that will maximize their breeding success.
What is the role of the sky dance display?
The sky dance display is one of the most remarkable and well-studied courtship displays of the red-tailed hawk. In a full sky dance, the male hawk will:
- Launch himself up hundreds of feet into the air.
- Circle up even higher on a thermal air current.
- Fold his wings and dive steeply downward.
- Spread his wings to pull up out of the stoop into another soaring circle.
- Repeat these loops, dives, and soars in an elaborate aerial display.
This acrobatic display demonstrates the male’s strong flying skills and fitness. A female hawk will likely be impressed by a male who performs an athletic and daring sky dance ritual.
How high do red-tailed hawks soar during the sky dance?
At the peak height of their sky dance display, red-tailed hawks may soar up to 2,000 feet high or more. The full diving swoops during the aerial display can span over 1,000 feet from top to bottom. This highlights the incredible eyesight that red-tailed hawks employ to keep visual contact with their potential mate throughout the sky dance.
What are some other interesting red-tailed hawk courtship behaviors?
In addition to aerial displays, red-tailed hawks have some other fascinating courtship behaviors:
- Gifts of prey: A courting male will present fresh prey items to the female by dropping them mid-air for her to catch.
- Nest tidying: Prior to mating, the male and female will spend time cleaning and maintaining their nest site together.
- Allopreening: The pair will gently preen each other’s feathers, which strengthens social bonding.
- Mating cries: The red-tailed hawks screech loudly in unison as they mate.
These behaviors all help ensure effective breeding between the bonded pair.
How long does red-tailed hawk courtship last?
The courtship period for red-tailed hawks can vary based on climate and geography. Here’s an overview:
- Southern populations: 1-2 months of courtship behaviors
- Northern populations: 2-3 months of courtship
- Coastal populations: Up to 4 months of courtship
Courtship lasts longer in areas with cooler weather because breeding gets started later. The courtship behaviors gradually increase in intensity and frequency as the actual mating time approaches.
Do both male and female red-tailed hawks participate in displays?
Yes, both the male and female red-tailed hawk engage in courtship displays, vocalizations, and flights. However, the male tends to perform more frequently and intensely.
Some key behaviors by gender include:
Male red-tailed hawk courtship
- Performs most of the high, looping sky dances
- Often calls first to initiate duetting vocalizations
- Brings most food gifts to the female
- Most aggressive in defending the nest site
Female red-tailed hawk courtship
- Responds to male sky dancing with her own loops and dives
- Joins in duetting calls
- May perform circling flights low over the nest
- Accepts food from the male during courtship
The participation of both sexes helps strengthen pair bonding and promotes effective breeding.
What happens after a red-tailed hawk pair successfully mates?
Once a red-tailed hawk pair completes courtship and mates, their breeding season begins! Next the female will lay 1-3 eggs in their nest and incubate them for about a month while the male hunts and brings her food. After hatching, both parents will share duties feeding and protecting the chicks until they fledge from the nest at 6-7 weeks old.
The elaborate courtship behaviors help the hawks choose the best mate for successful breeding season after breeding season.
Conclusion
Red-tailed hawk courtship involves an impressive array of aerial displays, vocalizations, and bonding behaviors. Sky dances, prey exchanges, and synchronized duets help communicate fitness, strengthen pair bonds, and facilitate breeding between mates. The male performs elaborate high-soaring dives to impress the female. Both sexes participate in courtship, though the male tends to exhibit more active displays. These fascinating rituals last for months and enable red-tailed hawks to successfully breed year after year.