A Bit About Raptors

Raptors are birds of prey that use their powerful talons, not their beaks, to capture food. Hawks, eagles, owls, osprey, and vultures are all examples of birds of prey. Although they also eat meat, birds such as penguins and gulls are not considered birds of prey because they capture their food using their beaks rather than their feet.

Although there are variations between different species of raptors, they all share some characteristics. Their vision is excellent, their beaks are sharp and hook-shaped for tearing apart meat, and their feet are exceptionally strong, ending in sharp, curved talons capable of piercing into prey and latching onto it to carry it away. Most raptors also exhibit reverse sexual dimorphism—most females are larger than males, which allows a mated pair to hunt more prey within an area because each can capture a different variety of animals.

Birds of prey are categorized based off the differences that exist betweens species. Owls differ from other raptors because they are nocturnal and do their hunting at night, unlike other birds of prey, which are diurnal. Owls also have large eyes that face forward and facial discs that help them pick up sounds.

Eagles are typically larger birds of prey. Their hunting patterns are characterized by soaring or sprinting flight. Eagles lay one to three eggs at a time, and their eggs can be distinguished by their green inner lining.

Hawks are typically a bit smaller than eagles. They use some of the same hunting techniques that eagles do—soaring and sprinting flight—as well as other techniques, including slow flight patterns and walking along the ground. Like eagles, hawks lay eggs with a green lining, but hawks can lay six or more eggs at a time.

Falcons tend to be smaller birds of prey as well. Their typical hunting flight patterns are fast and strong. Their eggs are characterized by a reddish-yellow interior lining. Falconets are some of the smallest birds of prey; they are comparable in size to songbirds. Their eggs are plain white, unlike those of larger falcons.

Vultures are comparable in size to eagles. They differ from other birds of prey in that their diet consists largely of carrion. Compared to the immense strength of the feet of other raptors of their size, vultures have weak feet with relatively dull talons. Vultures are easily recognizable by their featherless heads, which are bald to prevent remains from getting stuck in their feathers while feeding. Vultures are also characterized by their very long and wide wings, which enable them to soar great distances while searching for food.

Only one species of osprey exists worldwide. Ospreys inhabit areas near bodies of water. Their diet is made up almost entirely of fish, and they have developed special adaptations to aid them in capturing fish. For example, they can completely seal their nostrils when plunging their heads underwater, and their feet have rough pads on the bottom to enable them to get a better grip on fish.