Golden Eagles Part 4: The Hawk Fledges

Dale Matson

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Fledge Practice

My hope was that this hawk would survive to the point of fledging and on one occasion it was obvious that the hawk had flown from the nest. When I arrived in the morning, there was no hawk. After watching the nest for an hour there was still no sign of the hawk. However, I also hoped I would witness the hawks return to the nest on a future visit. Obviously, the longer the hawk was away from the nest, the less likely it would be that it would return.

The following visit from a more distant vantage point, I could see three birds at the nest using my telephoto lens. It was obvious that one of the birds was the hawk once again. I also saw the hawk on a limb on a tree about 150 meters from the nest and I saw the hawk in flight around the nest. It is hard to say how many more trips to the nest the hawk would make. Hopefully the hawk was finding food on its own. It could be anyone’s guess but I concluded that this hawk had officially fledged the nest.

This has been quite a story to follow and as I look back I feel privileged to have been able to observe this rather unique unfolding of a story with a plucky hawk making it in an eagle’s nest. I am happy the parents were able to provide adequate food for the three birds. In most cases only two birds survive to fledge.

What will happen with the hawk now is hard to say. Hopefully the hawk is hard wired for being and acting like a hawk. Whether there was behavioral imprinting that would cause the hawk to act like an eagle is up for discussion by expert minds. This leaves me out.

Hope you enjoyed the story.