Hawks are skilled birds of prey, built to hunt. With superb eyesight and powerful talons, they catch live animals — and what they take depends on the hawk's size and habitat.
What hawks eat
Hawks are carnivores. Most hunt small mammals such as mice, voles, rats, squirrels and rabbits, along with other birds, reptiles, amphibians and large insects. Bigger hawks take bigger prey, while smaller, agile hawks specialise in catching birds. They hunt by day, watching from a high perch or soaring, then diving on their target.
Why a hawk might visit your feeder
If a hawk starts hanging around your garden, it is usually hunting the small birds gathered at your feeders, not the seed. This is natural — hawks are part of a healthy ecosystem — but if it worries you, pausing your feeders for a week or two moves the small birds on, and the hawk usually follows.
You can't (and shouldn't) feed hawks
Hawks are wild predators that need to catch live prey, so they are not birds you feed. The best way to support them is to keep the wider bird population healthy and, crucially, to avoid rat poisons — poisoned rodents kill many hawks and owls each year when the birds eat them.