Use of Hunting Methods by Ferruginous Hawks in Relation to Vegetation Density
Abstract
To test the hypothesis that hawks increase their foraging efficiency by selecting the most appropriate hunting technique for a particular habitat type, I studied the relative use of 4 hunting methods by 2 Ferruginous Hawks in relation to the density of vegetative cover. No trends in relative use of hunting methods with increasing vegetation density could be detected, indicating either that efficiency of hunting methods did not change with increasing cover density or that factors other than cover density were more important in the hawks' choice of hunting methods for a particular site.