Why would hawks have a decreased survival rate if a disease wiped out their food source?

If a disease wiped out the primary food source for hawks, their survival rate would decrease significantly because they may not have adequate alternative food sources available. The correct choice highlights that their second food source also relies heavily on mice, meaning that if the primary food source is compromised, it impacts both the availability of their main prey and the secondary source, creating a compounded problem for their nutrition and survival.

A lack of food variety can lead to starvation, weakened health, and lower reproductive success, thus directly affecting their survival rates. In the context of hawks and their dietary habits, if their secondary food source is still reliant on the same prey that has been wiped out, they face an immediate risk of food shortages, which can be detrimental for their population. Such specialized dependencies highlight the critical nature of food webs and the consequences of ecological disruptions.