How good is a hawk's vision?

Similar to other birds of prey, hawks have vision that is around eight times sharper than that of humans. Hawks need great vision to see ahead of them as they fly fast and to spot prey on the ground from a far distance.

Their sizable eyes and large amount of retinal cells contribute to the ability of hawks to not only see from far distances but also with visual clarity. Over time, hawks developed sharp vision out of necessity to determine the size and shape of prey. They need to recognize a rabbit as food, for instance, without inadvertently flying up to a more dangerous animal.