The long-tailed hawk primarily eats squirrels, especially scaly-tailed squirrels and small birds; it can also hunt chickens in the villages close to the forest. It kills prey by breaking the neck. It has also been known to attack hammer-headed fruit bats. Its strong legs and feet suggest its main prey are mammals. Thef mating season occurs in July and August, when the pair build a nest on a high tree. Little is known regarding nesting and breeding the young, an adult was seen feeding a fledged juvenile in Sierra Leone in August.