If you’ve been birding for long enough you’ve probably asked yourself, “Why do crows chase hawks?” Indeed, it is not uncommon for groups of crows and hawks to get into altercations, but why do crows attack hawks?
If you’re interested in finding an answer to the question, “Why do crows chase hawks?” then this article is for you! Keep reading as I discuss the apparent rivalry between crows vs hawks.
Table of Contents
Why Do Crows Chase Hawks?
Hawks are one of the birds that are frequently chased by crows. In some cases, there may be one dozen or more crows converging on a single hawk, but why do crows chase hawks?
Crows may chase hawks for a variety of reasons. They may want to expel a hawk from their territory. Additionally, some chase hawks because they want to make one drop its prey. Crows may also antagonize hawks simply because they perceive hawks as a threat.
So, the primary reasons why crows chase hawks are:
- Crows want to remove hawks from their territory
- Crows want to get hawks to drop their prey
- Crows may harass a hawk simply because they perceive it to be a threat
Let’s take a more in-depth look at these reasons as we continue trying to answer the question, “Why do crows chase hawks?”.
Crows Want To Remove Hawks From Their Territory
Crows can be quite aggressive to birds that intrude on their territory, but why do crows chase hawks when a hawk intrudes on their territory?
While crows are not bothered by the presence of songbirds on their territory, other crows and birds of prey such as hawks, eagles, and owls will be met with hostility when they intrude.
Crows will not want hawks to be near their territory because they could harm young that may be in a nest in the area. Nesting crows and young in nests are susceptible to hawk attacks.
Therefore, when a hawk enters the territory of a pair of crows, it is often mobbed by several crows who try to chase it away. Most of the time, hawks are not aware that they are trespassing on a crow’s territory. However, a hawk will receive the same aggressive response from crows each time they trespass.
Crows Are Interested In A Hawk’s Meal
Most people know that crows have well-rounded diets, and few people question the bravado of these birds. However, why do crows attack hawks after they’ve made a kill?
Crows are opportunistic scavengers that will eat small animals, garbage, fruits, and seeds. These creatures are notorious for stealing food from other birds – even hawks. But why do crows attack hawks? Isn’t this a risky move?
Though hawks may be intimidating, crows are not scared to chase after them as they try to steal their prey. If a crow watches a hawk catch a prey item such as a small mammal, a crow may summon others to try to mob the raptor.
The crows hope that they will cause the hawk to drop its prey in the frenzy of attention. This tactic is often successful, and it provides crows with a fairly easy meal.
Crows May Perceive A Hawk As A Threat
The first two reasons certainly make sense as to why crows chase hawks, but why do crows chase hawks when a hawk has seemingly done nothing to provoke them?
Hawks are skilled predators that are capable of taking down an assortment of creatures. Crows perceive raptors like hawks as threats.
A hawk may not be threatening a crow in any way, but the mere presence of birds of prey such as hawks, eagles, and owls can prompt a response from a crow.
Confrontations between crows vs hawks can be neutral. However, the most common scenario when these two birds meet involves a hawk being chased if it gets too close.
What is Mobbing?
When a group of crows converges on a bird of prey, such behavior is known as “mobbing”. Mobbing is not a behavior that is exclusive to crows. Other corvids like magpies and jays engage in this behavior. Additionally, plenty of small songbird species are known to display this behavior.
Mobbing behavior is usually a tactic that is practiced by smaller birds to deter a large bird that they perceive as a threat. This practice exposes the larger bird to small birds in the area, while also discouraging the larger bird from attacking any of the smaller birds.
What Crow Species Chase Hawks?
Crows are members of the corvid family – a very intelligent family of birds. Bird species like jays, nutcrackers, and magpies also belong to this family.
Hawks and crows coexist throughout the range of both of these species, so all species of crows are known to antagonize hawks when they encounter one another.
Here is a brief list of common crow species that chase hawks:
- American Crow
- Carrion Crow
- Fish Crow
- Hooded Crow
- Large-billed Crow
- Rook
- Torresian Crow
Do Crows Kill Hawks?
You may be wondering if crows kill hawks when they chase them. Perhaps crows have malicious intentions when pursuing hawks. Do crows kill hawks frequently?
While crow and hawk altercations can become violent, they are rarely deadly. Yes, hawks can kill crows, and a mob of crows has the potential to kill a hawk, but these instances are rare.
When a group of crows mobs a hawk, they often chase it around and potentially nip at their feathers. When the hawk lands, the crows may perch nearby and create a commotion. They may also dive-bomb the predator as they attempt to make it fly even further away. However, hawks and crows can usually peacefully coexist with one another.
Do Crows Eat Hawks?
Do crows eat hawks in the rare instances when they kill a hawk? No, they are not known to eat these raptors. Though a group may swarm a hawk, crows have no intention of killing the predator so they can then consume the bird.
Crows are scavengers, and they will eat a remarkable assortment of food items (including other bird species), but adult hawks are not on the menu for these intelligent birds. Though adults may not be on the menu, crows do consume hawk eggs or small hawk nestlings occasionally.
Crows are certainly capable of consuming hawk eggs and nestlings, but such occurrences are rare, as hawk parents fiercely guard their young.
Although crows aren’t known to eat hawks, what happens when the tables are turned – do hawks eat crows?
Do Hawks Eat Crows?
It’s no secret that hawks eat other birds, but do hawks eat crows? Is this why crows hate hawks?
Although crows are formidable enemies, some hawk species are up for the challenge of killing them. Hawks may not kill a crow because they are interested in eating the bird. Instead, they may kill crows during territorial disputes and other confrontations.
Hawks may eat crows on occasion, with young birds being especially vulnerable to hawk attacks. Birds of prey like hawks, owls, and eagles may eat mature crows that they kill.
Do Crows Hate Hawks?
If ever there were a bird capable of harboring hatred for another species, it would certainly be the crow. Is this why the hawk vs crow rivalry is so strong – do crows hate hawks?
Although it may seem like crows hate hawks, intra-species bird relationships are more complex than one species hating another.
Crows are not born with an innate hatred of hawks. Rather, they learn from others and personal experiences that these creatures may pose a danger to themselves and their young.
Why Don’t Hawks Attack Crows?
Hawks are imposing birds that attack a variety of creatures–even humans! However, at this point, you may be wondering why hawks don’t simply just fight back against crows. Why do they allow themselves to be harassed?
Well, a group of crows can easily overwhelm a bird such as a hawk, with perhaps dozens chasing a single hawk. Therefore, it can be challenging for the hawk to single out a crow to attack.
Though hawks such as a Red-tailed Hawk could certainly take down an individual crow, it would be foolish to attack a mob of crows. Therefore, hawks typically express their displeasure by screeching and trying to escape the situation.
You may still find it puzzling that hawks don’t fight back against crows. Are hawks scared of crows?
Are Hawks Afraid Of Crows?
It sounds like crows can be pretty intimidating while mobbing a hawk, so are hawks afraid of crows?
Hawks are not inherently afraid of crows, as these raptors will not go out of their way to avoid them. There are plenty of times when crows and hawks can coexist without any sort of conflict. However, when conflicts do occur, hawks often leave the area once several crows join in the mobbing.
Crows can certainly be annoying from the perspective of a hawk, but they do not present a threat to a hawk’s life. Birds such as large owls and other hawk species may pose a threat to a hawk’s life, so a hawk would be much more wary when encountering one of these birds compared to a crow.
Conclusion
Why do crows chase hawks? We now know that crows may chase hawks for several reasons, but hawks are usually chased because crows consider them to be threats.
Crows may mob a hawk to remove the bird from an area but they likely don’t have the desire to kill the hawk. Most interactions involve hawks and crows escaping the situation unharmed.
Now, before ending this article, I’ll provide a few key takeaways about crows and hawks for you:
- Why do crows chase hawks? Crows may chase hawks because they view them as a threat or because they want a hawk’s meal
- Why do crows attack hawks? Crows attack hawks because they fear that a hawk will attack them if they don’t
- Do hawks attack crows? Occasionally
- Do hawks eat crows? Occasionally
- Can a crow kill a hawk? Yes, but this is uncommon
- Are crows and hawks enemies? Yes