# Hawk — Facts, Threats & Conservation

*Family Accipitridae — ~250 species including buzzards, kites and true hawks (genus Accipiter)*

> Hawks are birds of prey in the family Accipitridae — roughly 250 species worldwide; they hunt by sight using talons and hooked beaks, with conservation status ranging from abundant to Critically Endangered depending on species.

**IUCN status:** Varies by species (Least Concern to Critically Endangered)  ·  **WARN range:** Worldwide except Antarctica

## Quick facts
| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Species | ~250 Accipitridae species worldwide |
| Vision | ~8× sharper than human sight |
| Groups | Buteos (soaring), accipiters (forest), kites, buzzards |
| Diet | Carnivorous — rodents, birds, reptiles, insects |
| Threat | Rodenticide poisoning increasingly significant |
| CITES | Appendix I or II for many species |

## Scientific classification
- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Accipitriformes
- **Family:** Accipitridae

## Conservation status
- **Status:** Varies by species. Red-tailed hawk and common buzzard Least Concern; Ridgway's hawk Critically Endangered.
- **Population:** Varies — red-tailed hawk pairs number in the millions in North America
- **Trend:** Stable for common species; decreasing for island and forest specialists
- **Assessed:** Varies by species
- **CITES:** Appendix I or II for many species

## Key facts: Hawk
- Hawks belong to Accipitridae — a family of roughly 250 raptor species worldwide.
- Buteos soar on broad wings; accipiters manoeuvre through forest with short wings and long tails.
- Raptors see roughly eight times more sharply than humans.
- Rodenticide poisoning kills hawks that eat contaminated prey — a major modern threat.
- The red-tailed hawk is among the most abundant raptors in North America.
- Habitat loss and persecution remain threats for forest and island hawk species.

## What counts as a hawk?
'Hawk' is a loose common name rather than a strict taxonomic group. In North America it typically covers buteos (genus Buteo — red-tailed, red-shouldered and broad-winged hawks) and accipiters (genus Accipiter — sharp-shinned, Cooper's and goshawks). In Europe, 'hawk' often includes buzzards (Buteo) and sometimes kites and harriers.

All belong to Accipitridae alongside eagles, kites and Old World vultures. Hawks share hooked beaks, powerful talons, keen eyesight and carnivorous diets, but vary enormously in size — from the 100 g sharp-shinned hawk to the 1.4 kg red-tailed hawk.

When people search 'hawk' they may mean a soaring buteo, a woodland accipiter or a European buzzard — WARN's eagle, osprey and falcon guides help distinguish the wider raptor guild.

## Hunting and senses
Hawks hunt primarily by sight, detecting prey from hundreds of metres while soaring or perched. Raptor vision is roughly eight times sharper than human sight, with a higher density of colour-sensitive cones. Buteos soar on thermals, scanning open country for rodents, rabbits and reptiles. Accipiters dash through woodland on short, rounded wings and long tails, ambushing birds. Hawks kill with talons — the red-tailed hawk's grip exceeds 200 psi — and dismember prey with hooked beaks. Many species pair for life and reuse nest sites for decades.

## Threats to raptors
Modern threats to hawks include rodenticide poisoning — hawks eat rats and mice that have consumed anticoagulant poisons, leading to internal bleeding and death. Habitat loss removes nesting trees and hunting grounds. Persecution — shooting and trapping — persists in some regions despite legal protection. Wind turbines and power lines cause collision mortality. The Ridgway's hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) of Hispaniola is Critically Endangered with fewer than 300 individuals due to habitat loss and nest parasitism by palmchat birds.

## Conservation and legal protection
Most widespread hawk species — red-tailed hawk, common buzzard, Eurasian sparrowhawk — are Least Concern with stable or increasing populations. Legal protection under the US Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the EU Birds Directive and national laws in range countries has reduced persecution. CITES regulates international trade in many raptor species. Reducing rodenticide use, protecting nest sites and maintaining habitat connectivity benefit hawks alongside other raptors.

## Related WARN raptor guides
This page covers hawks as a group within Accipitridae. For species-level and specialist raptors, read WARN's eagle hub, osprey guide (fish-eating Pandionidae), falcon guide (fastest stoop hunters) and kestrel, buzzard and red kite pages.

Together these guides map the raptor guild for readers who search 'hawk' but need a particular species or hunting strategy.

Reducing rodenticide use and protecting nest sites benefits every raptor in the guild.

## What WARN does
WARN publishes this hawk guide as free public education. Rodenticide poisoning and habitat loss threaten raptors worldwide — issues that connect to the broader ecosystem health WARN works to protect.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

## Frequently asked questions: Hawk
### What is the difference between a hawk and an eagle?
Eagles are generally larger with broader wings and heavier beaks. Hawks (buteos and accipiters) are typically smaller and more manoeuvrable. Both belong to Accipitridae — the distinction is size and ecology, not taxonomy.

### How well can hawks see?
Raptors see roughly eight times more sharply than humans, with higher cone density for colour vision. A red-tailed hawk can spot a mouse from 30 m while soaring at 300 m altitude.

### Are hawks endangered?
Most common hawks — red-tailed hawk, common buzzard — are Least Concern. Island and forest specialists such as Ridgway's hawk are Critically Endangered. Status varies by species.

### What do hawks eat?
Hawks eat rodents, rabbits, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects depending on species. Buteos favour mammals; accipiters specialise in catching other birds in flight.

### Do hawks mate for life?
Many hawk species form long-term pair bonds and reuse the same nest site for years. Both parents typically incubate eggs and feed chicks.

### What kills hawks?
Rodenticide poisoning, habitat loss, vehicle and turbine collisions, persecution and starvation are the main causes of hawk mortality. Poisoned prey is an increasing modern threat.

## Sources
- [IUCN Red List — Accipitridae assessments](https://www.iucnredlist.org/)
- [BirdLife International — Data Zone](https://datazone.birdlife.org/)
- [Cornell Lab of Ornithology — All About Birds](https://www.allaboutbirds.org/)

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Full guide: https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hawk