Bird of prey

Lore & Background

The term 'raptor' derives from the Latin 'rapio,' meaning 'to seize or take by force.' Common names for birds of prey—such as eagles, hawks, falcons, and vultures—are based on structure and behavior, though they often do not reflect evolutionary relationships. Eagles are large with broad wings and massive feet; falcons are swift with long pointed wings; hawks are woodland hunters with long tails; buzzards are medium-large with robust bodies; harriers glide low over grasslands; kites soar and feed on insects or carrion; ospreys specialize in catching fish; owls are nocturnal with silent flight; secretary birds are long-legged grassland hunters; and vultures are scavengers with bare heads.

Reader's Guide

Birds of prey have been classified in various ways over time. Carl Linnaeus placed all birds of prey into a single order, Accipitres, with four genera: Vultur, Falco, Strix, and Lanius (shrikes). Later, Louis Pierre Vieillot divided them into diurnal and nocturnal tribes, excluding shrikes. Modern systematics splits diurnal raptors into two orders: Accipitriformes (including hawks, eagles, buzzards, harriers, kites, Old World vultures, osprey, and secretarybird) and Falconiformes (falcons, caracaras, forest falcons). New World vultures (Cathartidae) are sometimes placed in a separate order, Cathartiformes. Owls form the order Strigiformes, with families Strigidae and Tytonidae. Some extinct birds, like mousebird relatives and Enantiornithes, had talons similar to modern raptors, suggesting possible common descent or convergent evolution.

Did You Know?

• The term 'raptor' comes from Latin 'rapio,' meaning 'to seize or take by force.'
• Owls fly almost silently due to special feather structure that reduces turbulence.
• New World vultures (Cathartidae) occur only in the Western Hemisphere; Old World vultures (Accipitridae) occur only in the Eastern Hemisphere.
• Some extinct Enantiornithes had talons similar to modern birds of prey, indicating possible convergent evolution.