Diurnal Raptors
Australasian Osprey
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves
Orders
Falconiformes Accipitridae Pandionidae Sagittariidae Falconidae Strigiformes Strigidae Tytonidae incertae cedis Cathartidae

Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision; the talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 Species of Birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. The Accipitridae is one of the two major families within the order Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey) The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus, also called Sea Hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating Bird of prey. The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is a large mostly terrestrial Bird of prey. The falcons and caracaras are around 60 Species of diurnal birds of prey that comprise the family Falconidae. The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e True owls or typical owls ( family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of Owls the other being the barn owls Barn-owls (family Tytonidae) are one of the two families of owls the other being the Typical owls Strigidae The New World vulture family Cathartidae contains seven Species found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. A claw is a curved pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most Mammals, Birds, and some Reptiles. Anatomy Stegosaurus --> Beaks can vary significantly in size and shape from species to species The term "raptor" may refer informally to all birds of prey, or specifically to the diurnal group.

Diurnal birds of prey traditionally belong to the order Falconiformes:

• Accipitridae: Hawks, eagles, buzzards, harriers, kites and Old World vultures
• Pandionidae: Osprey (sometimes classified as subfamily Pandioninae of the previous family)
• Sagittariidae: Secretary-bird
• Falconidae: Falcons and caracaras

Nocturnal birds of prey - the owls - are classified separately, considered to be members of two extant families of the order Strigiformes:

• Strigidae (typical owls)
• Tytonidae (barn and bay owls)

The New World vultures are usually also regarded as birds of prey, although they may not be closely related to the other groups. In Animal behavior, diurnality indicates an Animal that is active during the Daytime and rests during the Night. The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 Species of Birds that include the diurnal birds of prey. The Accipitridae is one of the two major families within the order Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey) The term hawk can be used in several ways In strict usage in Europe and Asia, to mean any of the Species in the Subfamily Eagles are large birds of prey which are members of the Bird order Falconiformes and family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera A buzzard is one of several large birds but there are a number of meanings as detailed below A Harrier is any of several species of diurnal birds of prey which fly low over meadows and marshes and hunt or harry small animals or birds (hence their common Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring Old World vultures belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes Eagles Buzzards kites and Hawks Old World vultures The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus, also called Sea Hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating Bird of prey. The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus, also called Sea Hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating Bird of prey. The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is a large mostly terrestrial Bird of prey. The Secretary Bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, is a large mostly terrestrial Bird of prey. The falcons and caracaras are around 60 Species of diurnal birds of prey that comprise the family Falconidae. A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. Caracaras are birds of prey in the family Falconidae They are principally birds of South and Central America, just reaching the southern USA As an Animal behavior, nocturnality describes sleeping during the Daytime and being active at Night - the opposite of the diurnal The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e In Biological classification, family ( Latin The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e True owls or typical owls ( family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of Owls the other being the barn owls Barn-owls (family Tytonidae) are one of the two families of owls the other being the Typical owls Strigidae The New World vulture family Cathartidae contains seven Species found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas.

The observation that otherwise unrelated bird groups may perform similar ecological roles and bear striking morphological similarities to one another is explained largely by the idea of convergent evolution. Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages

Types

• Eagles tend to be large birds with long, broad wings and massive feet. Eagles are large birds of prey which are members of the Bird order Falconiformes and family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera Booted eagles have legs and feet feathered to the toes and build very large stick nests.

• Kites have long wings and relatively weak legs. Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring They spend much of their time soaring. They will take live vetebrate prey but mostly feed on insects or even carrion. Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described

• The true hawks are medium-sized birds of prey that usually belong to the genus Accipiter (see below). The Accipitrinae is the subfamily of the Accipitridae often known as the "true" hawks including all members of Accipiter and the closely They are mainly woodland birds that hunt by sudden dashes from a concealed perch. They usually have long tails for tight steering.

• Buzzards are medium-large raptors with robust bodies and broad wings, or, alternatively, any bird of the genus Buteo (also commonly known as "hawks" in North America). A buzzard is one of several large birds but there are a number of meanings as detailed below

• Harriers are large, slender hawk-like birds with long tails and long thin legs. A Harrier is any of several species of diurnal birds of prey which fly low over meadows and marshes and hunt or harry small animals or birds (hence their common Most hunt small vertebrates with a combination of keen eyesight and hearing, gliding and circling low over grasslands and marshes on their long broad wings. Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody In Geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of Wetland which is subject

• Vultures are carrion-eating raptors of two distinct biological families, each occurring in only the Eastern Hemisphere (Accipitridae) or the Western (Cathartidae). Vultures are scavenging Birds feeding mostly on the carcasses of dead Animals Vultures are found on every continent except Antarctica and Eastern Hemisphere, also Eastern hemisphere or eastern hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that is east of the The Western Hemisphere, also Western hemisphere or western hemisphere, is a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies West Members of both groups have heads either partly or fully denuded of feathers.

• Falcons are small to medium sized birds of prey with long pointed wings. A falcon (fɔlkən or fælkən is any Species of raptor in the Genus Falco. Unlike most other raptors, they belong to the Falconidae rather than the Accipitridae. The falcons and caracaras are around 60 Species of diurnal birds of prey that comprise the family Falconidae. The Accipitridae is one of the two major families within the order Falconiformes (the diurnal birds of prey) 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. Caracaras are a distinct subgroup of the Falconidae unique to the New World, and most common in the Neotropics - broad wings, naked faces and the appetites of a generalist suggest some level of convergence with either the Buteos or the vulturine birds, or both. Caracaras are birds of prey in the family Falconidae They are principally birds of South and Central America, just reaching the southern USA The New World is one of the names used for the non-Eurasian/non-African parts of the Earth specifically the Americas and Australia. In Biogeography, Neotropic or Neotropical refers to one of the world's eight terrestrial Ecozones This ecozone includes South and Central America the

• Owls are variable-sized, typically night-specialized hunting birds. The Owls are an order of birds of prey. Most are Solitary, and nocturnal, with some exceptions (e They fly soundlessly and have very acute senses of hearing and low-light vision.

Bald Eagle at Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park, North Devon, England

References

• Remsen, J. The Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a Bird of prey found in North America that is most recognizable as the national bird and V. , Jr. , C. D. Cadena, A. Jaramillo, M. Nores, J. F. Pacheco, M. B. Robbins, T. S. Schulenberg, F. G. Stiles, D. F. Stotz, and K. J. Zimmer. [Version 2007-04-05. ] A classification of the bird species of South America. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a American Ornithologists' Union. The American Ornithologists' Union ( AOU) an ornithological organization in the USA. Accessed 2007-04-10.

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
• The Arboretum at Flagstaff's Wild Birds of Prey Program