Tell the Difference Between a Male & Female Hawk
The term hawk refers broadly to the members of the Falconiformes order of diurnal birds of prey. In North America, this order includes 35 regularly occurring species of eagles, falcons, hawks, vultures, kites and harriers and 12 vagrant species that irregularly occur on the continent. Difference in form between male and female members of the same species is known as sexual dimorphism. According to "Hawks of North America," most female hawks are larger than their male counterparts. In some cases, plumage differences separate the sexes. In other cases, visual sex determination is impossible.
Instructions
Instructions
1. Locate the hawk, and get as close a view as safely possible with your binoculars or spotting scope. Perched birds are primarily easier to examine than flying birds, although soaring birds offer opportunities to examine wing shapes and underwing patterns.
2. Determine the species of the hawk using a general field guide. Plumage, eye stripes, leg colors, bill shapes, tail banding, streaking and relative size in comparison to known objects or other hawks and other features can aid in this process.
3. Refer to a specialty field guide for subtle differences between male and female hawks of the species in question. While field marks may not prove conclusive, learning the typical behaviors of hawk species may aid in sex determination. For instance, male Cooper's hawks will perform a bowing ritual to females after pairing and before nest building. Male common black-hawks will perform an undulating aerial dance to attract or impress a female.
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