Hawks are birds of prey that belong to the family Accipitridae. There are over 200 different species of hawks found worldwide. Hawks are amazing hunters that use their incredible vision and hearing to locate and catch their prey.
One interesting aspect about hawks is the sounds they make, particularly juvenile hawks that are still developing their vocalizations. Juvenile hawks use various calls and cries to communicate with their parents and siblings. The specific sounds they make can vary somewhat between different hawk species.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the typical vocalizations of juvenile hawks. We’ll explore what sounds young hawks make, why they vocalize, and how their calls change as they mature. Understanding hawk vocal development provides insight into these remarkable birds of prey.
Begging Calls
One of the most common sounds made by juvenile hawks is begging calls. These are loud, repetitive vocalizations used to get the attention of the parents and ask for food.
Begging calls are often made by young hawks when a parent returns to the nest with food. The hungry youngsters will cry out eagerly to plead for the parent to feed them. Their incessant calling doesn’t stop until the parent offers up morsels of meat.
The begging calls of juvenile hawks tend to be simple, squeaky cries. As the young hawks grow older, their begging calls become louder, stronger, and more complex. This helps them compete with their siblings for food. The exact sound of begging calls varies by species.
For example, young red-tailed hawks make a high-pitched “klee-uk” sound when begging. Young great horned owls give a hissing “seee-sip” begging call. And juvenile broad-winged hawks make a whistling “pee-pee-pee” cry when begging for food.
Distress Calls
Juvenile hawks also make loud distress calls when they feel threatened or want attention. A young hawk may give a distress call if it gets separated from its parents or siblings.
Distress calls are meant to elicit a response. When parent hawks hear the distress calls, they will rush to find the source and protect their vulnerable young. These alarm calls serve an important survival function.
Distress calls tend to be high-pitched, piercing screams. They are hard to ignore and convey a sense of urgency and panic. For example, young Cooper’s hawks make a “kak-kak-kak” distress call, while young red-shouldered hawks give a whistling “kee-kee-kee” cry when in distress. The shrill calls alert the parents that their chick needs help.
As juvenile hawks gain independence, their distress calls fade. They learn to rely less on their parents for support and protection. But early on, distress calls are vital for the young birds’ survival.
Contact Calls
In addition to begging and distress calls, juvenile hawks use contact calls to communicate with their family members. Contact calls allow hawks to indicate their location and stay in touch over distances.
Young hawks may give contact calls when a parent leaves the nest to hunt. Their calls seem to say “I’m here!” and help guide the parent back to the nesting site. Contact calls are often soft and conversational in nature.
For example, young sharp-shinned hawks make a gentle “kuk-kuk-kuk” contact call. Juvenile Swainson’s hawks give musical “klee-lee” contact calls. And young red-tailed hawks have a high, whistling “pee-pee-pee” contact cry.
Contact calls are important as young hawks start to venture further away from the nest. The calls allow them to stay connected to parents and siblings until they gain full independence.
Food Calls
When parent hawks return to the nest with prey, young hawks will often make excited food calls. These vocalizations communicate anticipation and thanks during feeding time.
Food calls tend to be fast, chattering sounds that seem to say “I’m hungry, feed me!” The calls are mostly heard around the nest site at feeding time and help encourage the adults to distribute the food.
For instance, juvenile northern goshawks make a rapid “kak-kak-kak” food call. Young Cooper’s hawks give a sharp “coo-coo-coo” cry when they spot the parent with food. And juvenile red-tailed hawks make short whistling sounds like “chop-chop-chop” as a food call.
The food calls reinforce the bonding between hawk parents and their young. The vocalizations help coordinate feeding time and may stimulate the adults to regular deliver food.
Fledgling Calls
As juvenile hawks grow, they eventually leave the nest and become fledglings. At this stage, the young hawks make fledgling calls which serve many purposes.
Fledgling calls are often loud, repetitious whistling or sharp shrieks. These vocalizations help the young hawks stay in contact with their parents after leaving the nest. The calls also announce the fledglings’ location, so parents can find and feed them.
Additionally, fledgling calls seem to convey excitement at exploring the world outside the nest. They indicate the young hawks are thriving. Some common fledgling calls include the whistling “peek” of young Cooper’s hawks and the “chek-chek-chek” of young red-tailed hawks.
As fledglings become adept fliers and hunters, their vocalizations decrease. But the calls are an important developmental phase as the young birds transition to independence.
Warning Calls
Young hawks begin using warning calls to alert others to danger as they reach the fledgling stage. These alarm calls signal a threat in the area, such as a predator or competitor.
Warning calls tend to be urgent, high-pitched shrieks. They put other hawks on high alert. Many hawk species have specific warning calls that communicate the type of threat. For instance, the warning call for a land predator is different than for an air predator.
Juvenile hawks may pick up appropriate warning calls by mimicking their parents or siblings. For example, young Cooper’s hawks make a fast “kek-kek-kek” call to warn of terrestrial predators. While juvenile red-tailed hawks give a whistling “peek” call when alerting others to aerial threats.
Learning to make warning calls is essential to young hawks’ survival. The alarm cries alert all hawks in the area to danger and signal them to take evasive action. As juveniles mature, their warning calls become increasingly refined and attuned to specific risks.
Flight Calls
Another important vocalization learned by young hawks are flight calls. These are vocalizations given frequently during flight. Flight calls seem to maintain contact and coordination among hawks flying together.
Juvenile hawks first make simple versions of flight calls when they begin exercising their wings around the nest. Then fledglings will practice more sustained flight calling as they gain altitude and distance in flight.
The calls are often clear whistles that carry well over distance. For example, young red-tailed hawks may make a high, wavering “pee-eee” flight call. While juvenile Cooper’s hawks give a “coo-coo-coo” flight call. The vocalizations announce the young birds’ presence during flight.
Using flight calls likely helps hawks keep track of each other and observe hunting behaviors. As juveniles near independence, their flight calls reach full development for their species. The calls become more intricate and articulate.
Territorial Calls
Hawks are highly territorial, and use specific calls to proclaim nesting areas and signal intruders away. As juvenile hawks approach adulthood, they begin incorporating territorial calls into their vocal repertoire.
These calls are meant to establish boundaries and warn away other hawks from favored habitats. Each species has signature territorial calls. For example, adult red-tailed hawks make their iconic screaming “kee-eee-arrr” cry.
Juveniles first learn territorial calls by mimicking the adult hawks around them. Their early attempts may sound a bit unsteady and lacking in authority. But with age, the young hawks’ territorial calls gain the full power and conviction of an adult.
Using territorial calls is essential for juveniles establishing their own nesting sites. The vocalizations assert ownership of prime real estate when the young hawks reach breeding maturity.
Conclusion
In summary, juvenile hawks make a wide range of vocalizations, including begging calls, distress calls, contact calls, food calls, fledgling calls, warning calls, flight calls, and territorial calls. Their sounds reflect different needs and stages of development.
Young hawks’ calls start simple but become more complex as they practice vocalizing and mimicking adults. Their ability to produce key hawk cries is vital to their growth and transition to independence.
The sounds of juvenile hawks provide a window into the growth of these amazing avian predators. With time and maturation, the juvenile cries are honed into the evocative calls of the adults that rule the skies.
Key Points
- Begging calls are loud cries juvenile hawks use to get parental attention for food.
- Distress calls are high-pitched screams signaling danger that elicit a parental response.
- Contact calls allow young hawks to indicate location and stay in touch with family.
- Food calls communicate excitement and encouragement of feeding by parents.
- Fledgling calls facilitate staying in contact after leaving the nest.
- Warning calls alert other hawks to danger like predators.
- Flight calls aid coordination during flight as juveniles practice flying.
- Territorial calls establish boundaries as hawks reach breeding maturity.
- Young hawks’ vocalizations become more intricate with practice and age.
Common Juvenile Hawk Vocalizations
Species | Begging Call | Distress Call | Fledgling Call |
---|---|---|---|
Red-tailed Hawk | “Klee-uk” | Whistling “kee-kee-kee” | Whistling “chek-chek-chek” |
Cooper’s Hawk | Sharp “coo-coo” | Rapid “kak-kak-kak” | Whistling “peek” |
Great Horned Owl | Hissing “seee-sip” | Shrieking | Hooting |