Some interesting mythological and cultural references

From www.thirdcoastrs.com:
"Celtic tradition lists the oldest animal as the Hawk of Achill. As with many other birds, the hawk is a messenger of the various worlds. However, it is noted as being more skillful and stronger than most others of its species. To hear the cry of a hawk during a journey is an indication that it would be wise to be alert to upcoming situations that require boldness and decisiveness in order to keep from being thrown off-balance. The hawk was considered a noble bird that brought the sun within his feathers, and enabled recollection and the ability to progress. Merlin was said to have often transformed himself into a small hawk, perhaps the reason why today, the smaller family member of the hawk is known as a Merlin. Two knights who sat at Arthur's Round Table carried the name of the Hawk: Gwalchmai the "Hawk of May" and Gwalch-Y-Had the "Hawk of Summer - better known respectively as Sir Gawain and Sir Galahad."

From takanoritomita.blogspot.com:
"In Japan, hawks are considered as the most majestic and noble birds. There is a famous proberb - No Aru Taka Wa Tume O Kakusu, which means "A wise hawk hides his claws". These Japanese symbols are used to describe talented people, who have never reveal their great skills. This Japanese symbol is written in kanji."

From approvedarticles.com (note -- Horus also is described as a falcon rather than a hawk):
Usually depicted as a hawk or as a man with the head of a hawk, (The Egyptian god) Horus was not only a god of the sky but also the embodiment of divine kingship and protector of the reigning pharaoh. Gradually the cults of other hawk-gods merged with that of Horus, and a complex array of myths became associated with him. According to one of the most common myths, he was the child of the goddess Isis, and in this role (later known as Hippocrates) he was usually depicted inhuman form with the side lock of youth and a finger to his mouth, often being seated on his mothers lap...Horus was also closely associated with Hierakonpolis (literally "town of Hawk") which was known as Nekhen during the Pharaonic period. From the temple at this site was excavated the golden falcon head which probably formed part of a cult image. In his role as Horus of Behdet, a town in the Delta, he was also portrayed as a winged sun-disc, an image that constantly recurred in the decoration of many other temples, harking back to his original manifestation as a god of the sky."

From firstpeople.us:
A Gallinomero Legend
In the earliest beginning, the darkness was thick and deep. There was no light. The animals ran here and there, always bumping into each other. The birds flew here and there, but continually knocked against each other. Hawk and Coyote thought a long time about the darkness. Then Coyote felt his way into a swamp and found a large number of dry tulle reeds. He made a ball of them. He gave the ball to Hawk, with some flints, and Hawk flew up into the sky, where he touched off the tulle reeds and sent the bundle whirling around the world. But still the nights were dark, so Coyote made another bundle of tulle reeds, and Hawk flew into the air with them, and touched them off with the flints. But these reeds were damp and did not burn so well. That is why the moon does not give so much light as the sun.