Birds of Prey

We explain what birds of prey are, the types there are and their characteristics. Also, their diet and some examples.

birds of prey prey raptors predator
Birds of prey, such as the saker falcon, are hunting animals.

What are birds of prey?

Birds of prey, also called birds of prey or birds of prey, are predatory birds that is, they hunt and feed on other animals. Therefore, its name comes from Latin rapper“seize” or “take by force.”

Birds of prey are extremely diverse among themselves, since each one is adapted to its specific ecosystem, in which they obviously play the role of top predator in the chain. This is: are not usually anyone's prey. Therefore, its size is usually large and its number of specimens is lower than that of those species that support it.

Human beings have half-domesticated them, for a sport called falconry taking advantage of the hunting instincts of some of these bird species. This discipline, almost 4 thousand years old, was extremely popular among the European nobility of the Middle Ages.

This sport largely contributed to birds of prey being a symbol, given their ferocity and their position at the top of the food chain, of various monarchies and even entire nations, which is why it is possible to find some of them on shields, flags and representations.

Types of birds of prey

birds of prey prey raptors predator types owl
Strigiformes birds of prey hunt at night.

Birds of prey can be classified according to their activity schedule:

  • Falconiformes or diurnal Their name means “falcon-like.” They are those that hunt during the day, for example vultures, eagles, hawks, falcons, kestrels, etc.
  • Strigiformes or nocturnal Their name means “owl-like.” They are those that hunt at night, for example owls, owls and owls.
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There is a considerable biological distance between both categories and they are usually classified in different orders of the animal kingdom. Even so, their adaptive models throughout evolution tend to converge, that is, to be more or less similar, as they are the predators of the food chain.

Characteristics of birds of prey

birds of prey prey raptors predator beak vision
Birds of prey have excellent vision and a curved beak.

To be considered birds of prey by ornithology, birds generally must have:

  • Good vision To perceive its prey in the distance.
  • Strong claws Generally ending in sharp hooks, to hold it.
  • A strong curved beak Ideal for tearing the meat of prey.

Furthermore, their essential characteristics can be very different from each other, as well as their behavior.

What do birds of prey eat?

birds of prey prey raptors predator feeding hunting
Birds of prey are predatory carnivorous animals.

As we said before, birds of prey are hunters, which usually devour large vertebrate animals such as rodents, snakes, fish, other birds or even felids and canids of modest size. In some cases it is possible that they feed on carrion, which in the case of vultures and condors has ended up being their main diet.

Examples of birds of prey

birds of prey prey raptors predator examples golden eagle
The golden eagle is trained in Mongolia to participate in hunts.

Some of the most popular birds of prey are:

  • Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) One of the most common aerial predators in the world, widely present in North America, Central America, Eurasia and North Africa. It has brown fur with black feathers at the tip and a yellowish beak with a sharp black tip.
  • Peregrine falconFalco peregrinus) The most widely distributed bird of prey of all, with active populations on every continent except Antarctica, it measures between 36 and 49 cm tall and is capable of flying at 320 kmph. It has characteristic black and gray plumage.
  • short-eared owlAsio flammeus) One of the most widely distributed owls in the world, with an important presence in the Antarctic Circle and South America, or in the Arctic Circle and the northern temperate zone. It has brown plumage on top that pales on the bottom of the animal and a pair of short ears on its flat face with large eyes.
  • bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Also called the American eagle, it has been taken as a symbol of the United States, from whose geography it is native and endemic. It is a species seriously threatened with extinction since the end of the 20th century.
  • Griffon Vulture (Torgos tracheliotus) One of the largest scavengers in Africa, with a neck devoid of feathers and pink protuberances, similar to those of a turkey. Its beak is large, black and rough, ideal for opening the meat of dead animals and even breaking bones to access the marrow.
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References

  • “Birds of prey” on Wikipedia.
  • “The birds of prey” (video) on RTVE.es.
  • “Birds of prey” in Aspen Nature.
  • “Bird of prey” in The Encyclopaedia Britannica.