Some species of hawks, such as the red-tailed hawk, may stay with their mothers for up to six months. Other species, such as the Cooper's hawk, may only stay with their mothers for a few weeks. The length of time a baby hawk stays with its mother is also influenced by the availability of food and the presence of predators. If food is scarce or there are many predators, the mother hawk may need to keep her babies with her for a longer period of time in order to ensure their survival.