BIRD OF PREY

A 'bird of prey' or 'raptor' is a bird that hunts for food primarily using its talons. They display a characteristic curved tip to their beak and have superb vision.

Diurnal birds of prey belong to the orders Accipitriformes and Falconiformes in several groups including:

★ 'Accipitriformes'

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★ Pandionidae: Osprey

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★ Accipitridae: hawks, eagles, buzzards, kites and vultures

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★ Sagittariidae: Secretary Bird

★ 'Falconiformes'

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★ Falconidae: falcons
For an alternative taxonomy, see also Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy.
Nocturnal birds of prey—the owls—are separate from the diurnal families, and are in the order Strigiformes. The term "raptor" includes owls.
Although other bird groups may fill similar ecological roles and sometimes appear closely related at first sight, this is largely because of convergent evolution.

Contents

Raptor names

External links

Raptor names

★ 'Eagles' are large birds with long, broad wings and massive legs. Booted eagles have feathered legs and build large stick nests.

★ 'Kites' have long wings and weak legs. They spend much of their time soaring. They will take live prey but mostly feed on carrion.


★ 'Falcons' are small to medium sized birds of prey with long pointed wings. Unlike most other raptors, they belong to the Falconidae rather than the Accipitridae. Many are particularly swift flyers. Instead of building their own nests, falcons appropriate old nests of other birds but sometimes they lay their eggs on cliff ledges or in tree hollows.

★ 'Owls' are variable-sized nocturnal hunting birds. They fly soundlessly and have very acute senses of hearing and sight.

★ 'Harriers' are large, slender hawk-like birds with long tails and long thin legs. Most hunt by gliding and circling low over grasslands and marshes on their long broad wings.

★ 'Hawks' are medium-sized birds of prey that usually belong to the genus ''Accipiter'' (but see below). They are mainly woodland birds that hunt by sudden dashes from a concealed perch. They usually have long tails.

★ 'Buzzards' are raptors with a robust body and broad wings, or, alternatively, any bird of the genus ''Buteo'' (also commonly known as 'Hawks' in North America).

★ 'Vultures' are carrion-eating raptors, found in both the Old and New World. They usually have heads which are bare of feathers.

External links

★ Explore Birds of Prey with The Peregrine Fund

★ Birds of prey videos on the Internet Bird Collection

★ Helydon Show Dogs and Birds of Prey

★ Bird of Prey Pictures

★ Global Raptor Information Network